Luke Air Force Base in Glendale in Maricopa County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

The Barry M. Goldwater Range

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, January 19, 2026

1. The Barry M. Goldwater Range Marker

Inscription. The Barry M. Goldwater Range is the nation's second largest tactical aviation range, providing the land and airspace necessary to train pilots for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Army and Air National Guard, and U.S. allies since World War II. The lesson from history is that a range with sufficient air and land space can meet evolving tactical aviation training requirements. The Goldwater Range has the capacity to keep pace with the evolution of aircraft technology and changing tactics of aerial warfare. The range will continue to be a critical asset for ensuring national defense air power readiness. Identified in 1941 by Lt. Col. Ennis C. Whitehead, the 1.1 million-acre range was initially divided into the Gila Bend Gunnery Range and the Yuma Aerial and Gunnery and Bombing Range. Over 17.000 pilots trained here during World War II, and logged more than a million flight hours in the AT-6 Texan, P-40 Warhawk and the P-51 Mustang. Because of the high demand for use, the range grew to 2.1 million acres by 1943.

The key value of the Goldwater Range is its extensive land and airspace authorized for live-fire training,

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essential to the survival and victories of aircrews in combat. The lethal effectiveness of the modern battlefield no longer allows a margin of error for second thoughts or a second chance. Aircrews must have mastered their own weapons systems and tactics prior to the fight in order to have any chance of winning. Accordingly, an aircrew's first experience with realistic live fire must be in training rather than combat. Hence, five targets on the range are authorized for live weapons, which include live ordnance (bombs) and air-to-ground missiles. All other targets are used for non-exploding training munitions. In fact, this non-exploding training ordnance comprised 98% of the munitions used on the Goldwater Range.

The 57,000 cubic miles of restricted airspace cover a land area twice the size of Delaware. About one-third of the airspace overlies Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. This area is used for overflights and air-to-air combat. No military activities occur on the ground in Cabeza Prieta, with the exception of five unmanned electronic instrument sites.

Air-to-air combat training uses the vast amount of airspace available

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, January 19, 2026

2. The Barry M. Goldwater Range Marker

to teach pilots the fundamentals and advanced techniques of combat with other aircraft. For realistic training, exercises begin with opposing aircraft well outside the range of weapons and radar. Some of these scenarios include:
• Basic fighter maneuvers, or two aircraft engaging in a dogfight
• Air combat maneuvers, where two aircraft team up against a single enemy aircraft or "bandit"
• Air combat tactics, the most sophisticated type of air-to-air training, usually involves multiple aircraft and combines air combat maneuvers with intercepts and tactical scenarios

Improvements to the range were made over the years. The addition of air-to-ground gunnery ranges, tactical ranges and air-to-air ranges added another half-million acres by 1962. The wide-open space of the range accommodated the newer high-speed jet fighter aircraft such as the supersonic F-100 Super Sabre, then later the F-15 Eagle and currently the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The Goldwater Range has three air-to-ground tactical ranges that simulate battlefield scenarios. These tactical ranges are unmanned and are used to instruct aircrews to fly fight against ground-based

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threats and combat situations. Targets are designed to depict realistic scenarios that consist of simulated airfield complexes, tank and vehicle convoys, railroad yards and enemy air defenses. Most of the weapons used on these tactical ranges consist of training ordnance and ammunition which does not contain live explosives. The accuracy of weapons delivery is scored by the pilot's observation. Each tactical range also has one target where the use of live weapons is authorized. The majority of the land within the range boundaries serves as a safety buffer around these active training areas.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Environment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1941.

Location. 33° 32.401′ N, 112° 21.632′ W. Marker is in Glendale, Arizona, in Maricopa County. It is in Luke Air Force Base. It is on Eagle Street west of Bong Lane. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Luke Air Force Base AZ 85309, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert,

in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area,

and in the Tohono O’odham Nation.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Gadsden Purchase,

and Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: SPAD XIII (a few steps from this marker); North American AT-6 Texan (within shouting distance of this marker); North American F-86F Sabre (within shouting distance of this marker); North American F-100C Super Sabre (within shouting distance of this marker); Republic F-84F Thunderstreak (within shouting distance of this marker); McDonnell Douglas F-15B Eagle (within shouting distance of this marker); McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (within shouting distance of this marker); Medal of Honor Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glendale.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 22, 2026, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 46 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 22, 2026, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.