The U.S. Air Force’s 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base is teaching its B-Course student pilots how to fly the F-35A in Beast Mode configuration.
The training philosophy is that by having to fly with a maximum strike weapons configuration, it creates a heightened sense of awareness for the student pilot and allows for a more realistic training experience that will be needed for combat.
The 63rd Fighter Squadron was reactivated with the F-35A in August 2016 to train Turkish pilots on how to fly the stealth fighter.