Forum: F-16 News

As we know the 22nd FS are closing shop at Spang this summer, but can anyone also confirm the status of 23rd FS?. Rumours both squadrons will combine into the 480 FS.

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??? That's new - thought the 22FS would disband, leaving the only flying units in the 52FW to be 81FS and 23FS ?

Don't see any point in doing such a move either - should cost more than the gain would be?
I have checked Spandahlem.af.mil regularly latelly, and there is absolutelly nothgin to be found on the 22FS closing doors either
Strange....

The 23rd is actually the one closing now. The 22nd will absorb the 23rd's remaining aircraft and people, then be deactivated and reactivated as the 480th. The 81st will remain unchanged.

That is sad news - 23FS is my favourite unit Sad

Just came from the 23rd AMU. Great bunch of maintainers there, and I will miss a lot of them. But Spangdahlem? The best view I had of that place was when it was fading into the distance in my rearview mirror.

Never seen the place, but like the Vipers Very Happy

Why do they close the 23FS, and rename the 22FS into 480FS? Don't understand the logic? Also the earlier reports indicated that the 22FS was to disband, while the 81st and 23rd to remain as is?

Yeah, that was the original plan, which changed late last year. They decided to reactivate the 480th because of the history associated with the unit. Makes you wonder if it's worth the expense with all the changes that will have to be made. Oh well, Spang never made sense anyway, so why start now?

In 1992 the 52TFW had the 23TFS, 81TFS, and the 480TFS ... from what I had gathered when the deactivation of the 480TFS then was because the other two had the history. I believe the 22nd was added after the 53TFS F-15Cs left Spangdelham. Since then the 22nd, 23rd, and 81st have flown combat missions during OAF, OIF, and OEF. So you wonder why not just keep the 23FS.

Very true Siesta. That was the plan when the talks first started. Deactivate the 22, keep the 23. No idea why they decided to change it, if for no other reason to make things more difficult. The Air Force is good at that sometimes!

Just posted as Spangdahlem to lose jets, gain squadron

Thanks Vegas!

The 22 has more colors... So no matter what hap happend, the 23 would have been packing up. Stupid move going back to the 480th...

22FS and 23FS both have history going back to WWII, so I don't fully agre with what you say, ViperKeeper

vegasfalconfixer wrote:

Very true Siesta. That was the plan when the talks first started. Deactivate the 22, keep the 23. No idea why they decided to change it, if for no other reason to make things more difficult. The Air Force is good at that sometimes!

Well its going to be interesting... this year there will be several squadrons being deactivated... lets see what heritage logic comes out. Example .. at Elmendorf the 43FS was replaced by the 12FS and then replaced by the 525FS all within the last 15 years. Then you see the 43FS reactivated at Tyndall. The 69FS was recently reactivated at Luke AFB.

Logic sucks Wink

Forum: F-16 News

480 FS to return?