Military Aviation News

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 Hill selected to receive first operational F-35A...
Hill Air Force Base was selected as the new home for the Air Force's first operational F-35A Lightning IIs.
Pentagon approves BAE's KF-16 upgrades for South...
The U.S. Defense Department has approved a deal under which Britain's BAE Systems would upgrade 134 older KF-16s for South Korea, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on Monday.
Fighter pilot goes above, beyond call of duty
"It was dusk, one of the worst times to use night vision goggles. The sun was going down over my right shoulder. The Mediterranean was dark and the sky was dark, like being in a gigantic black hole. It was hard to tell which way was up and which way was down. We started looking for targets outside of Tripoli. We had determined, by the amount of surface-to-air equipment there, the Gaddafi regime would be using it to target coalition aircraft. Eliminating the equipment was a high priority."

F-16 News

 Pentagon approves BAE's KF-16 upgrades for South...
The U.S. Defense Department has approved a deal under which Britain's BAE Systems would upgrade 134 older KF-16s for South Korea, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on Monday.
Fighter pilot goes above, beyond call of duty
"It was dusk, one of the worst times to use night vision goggles. The sun was going down over my right shoulder. The Mediterranean was dark and the sky was dark, like being in a gigantic black hole. It was hard to tell which way was up and which way was down. We started looking for targets outside of Tripoli. We had determined, by the amount of surface-to-air equipment there, the Gaddafi regime would be using it to target coalition aircraft. Eliminating the equipment was a high priority."
DSCA notification of possible sale of F-16s to...
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on November 8, 2013 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Romania of weapons, equipment, and support for 12 F-16 MLU Block 15 for an estimated cost of $457 million.
See more F-16 News

F-35 News

 Hill selected to receive first operational F-35A...
Hill Air Force Base was selected as the new home for the Air Force's first operational F-35A Lightning IIs.
F-35 completes first live fire missile test
The F-35 has launched an AIM-120 air-to-air missile marking the first live-fire missile test in the program.
Israel and US to make helmets for the F-35...
The Israeli company Elbit Systems and its partner in the United States, Rockwell Collins, were chosen by the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin to make helmets for the F-35 Lightning II.
See more F-35 News

F-22 News

 Tyndall F-22s fly in Combat Archer
Several Team Tyndall units combined forces during an in place deployment September 16 to 27 to test weapons and build teamwork in a deployment-like environment while saving the taxpayer dollars.
Tyndall stands up new F-22 squadron
The 95th Fighter Squadron and Aircraft Maintenance Unit will once again call Tyndall home as officials announced the new F-22 Raptor squadron activated October 11.
Tinker ramps up repair of F-22 engines
The 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is increasing its F119 jet engine repair capabilities in response to approaching maintenance requirements.
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F-16 Fleet Status
F-16 fleet - Dec 11, 2013
Fleet overview:
scrapped: 55
write-off: 560
preserved: 127
stored: 695
instructional: 94
on order: 85
active: 2966
Changes '12/'13:
Fleet adds: 57
Fleet drop: 142
See detailed fleet reports
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Today in history
11 Dec 1988
Pakistan orders 11 F-16s (Peace Gate III).
11 Dec 1978
First flight of the first Belgian built F-16 (#FB-01) with SABCA test pilot Serge Martin at the controls and GD test pilot Neil Anderson riding in the backseat.
Quote of the Day
If an earthquake suddenly opened a fissure in a runway that caused an accident, the NTSB would find a way to blame it on pilot error.
-- Unknown
F-16 Hall of Fame
Dutch MiG Killer
RNLAF #J-063
F-16A Block 20 MLU
In 1999, Maj. Peter Tankink scored the first post-WWII kill for the Royal Netherlands Air Force, shooting down a Yugoslav MiG-29 with an AIM-120A Amraam. A silhouette of a Fulcrum was painted just below the canopy rail.
See more F-16 Aircraft profiles
Callsign of the day

Callsign "Apollo"

Last name Creed
Sierra Hotel
Latest Viper Drivers to reach 1K - 6K flying hours:
6,000 Hours 6,000 Hrs
2008-05-02

  Lt.Col. Mike "Brillo" Brill

| 466 FS | 421 FS  
5,000 Hours 5,000 Hrs
2012-03-13

  Lt.Col. Kurt R. "Lo-Tek" Tek

| 162 FW | 162 FW  
4,000 Hours 4,000 Hrs
2013-06-04
3,000 Hours 3,000 Hrs
2013-03-28
2,000 Hours 2,000 Hrs
2013-09-00

  Maj. Ala Braikat

1 sqn | 1 sqn  
1,000 Hours 1,000 Hrs
2013-10-27
See more F-16 Pilots profiles
Crew Chief Profiles

 SSgt. Eric Conway

 (added: 21 Jun 2008)
F-16 Phase | F-16 Phase | 309 FS | 309 FS | 61 FS | 61 FS | 309 FS | 36 FS

 TSgt. Arden Fierman

 (added: 20 Nov 2013)
34 FS

 MSgt. John Acquart

 (added: 18 Oct 2008)
61 FS | 36 FS | 416 FLTS | 412 TW | 148 FS | 152 FS | 152 FS | 195 FS | 195 FS

 MSgt. Blaine Edinger

 (added: 6 Jul 2007)
422 TES | 36 FS | 23 FS | Air Demonstration Squadron | Air Demonstration Squadron | F-22 | 80 FS | F-22 | 20 FW

 MSgt. Richard Reif

 (added: 7 Nov 2013)
21 FS | 23 FS | Air Demonstration Squadron | 20 FW
F-16 Unit
198 Fs "Buccaneers" (USAF ANG)