More jets and more jobs are expected over the next few years at Luke Air Force Base. Since being named the F-35 training site in 2013, Luke has welcomed 51 new fighter jets to its base west of Glendale.

“In the past four years we’ve hired almost 400 people to bring up to Luke Air Force Base,” said retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Art Cameron.

Over the next three years, Cameron said the numbers of F-35s at Luke will more than double to 117. That means the jet’s maker — and Cameron’s employer — Lockheed Martin will add to its payroll. 

“We attract incredible talent coming out there,” he said. “Some of the positions are harder to hire. On the maintenance side we get about 200 applicants for each and every position, qualified applicants.”

He told the Maricopa Association of Governments Economic Development Committee, “These are good-paying jobs” with annual salaries that run the gamut, “from the mid-50s to up.”

According to Defense News, which specializes in coverage of military and government contracts and policies, Lockheed Martin was the largest single U.S. government contractor in 2015 with $36.2 billion.