Forum: General F-16 forum

Asif,

91-0391 also spotted during stopover at Moron;
http://www.airfighters.com/photo/104039 ... n/91-0391/

Wing wraps up largest deployment since Desert Storm
Story by Maj. James RothSmall

EASTOVER, S.C. — More than 300 members of the South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing return from Operation Enduring Freedom this week. The deployed Swamp Foxes have been providing fighter support for ground commanders in Afghanistan for the past four months.

The wing deployed a record 18 F-16 fighter jets and close to 400 personnel (pilots, maintenance specialists and support staff) in April. About 90 additional Swamp Foxes deployed in June to overlap briefly with and replace Airmen scheduled to return home mid-cycle.

While deployed, the unit flew more than 2,200 sorties, totaling more than 9,400 combat hours. “Our biggest success was right where it needed to be – providing ground commanders close air support 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week for 120 days straight,” said Lt. Col. Boris Armstrong, 157th Expeditionary Fighter Wing Squadron commander.

The success of the mission was made possible by invaluable behind-the-scenes work from the unit’s maintenance crews working long hours in brutal Afghan summer heat to keep the jets flying.

Maj. Shari Askins, officer in charge of F-16 maintenance while deployed to Kandahar Airfield, said, “The sacrifices they’ve made and the demands they’ve met are immeasurable. Walking the flight line in 118-degree heat with jets running, dust blowing in your face, and the constant anticipation of incoming rockets … their dedication is truly remarkable.”

This was the wing’s largest deployment since Operation Desert Storm and the fourth major deployment of its F-16s since 2002 (when the wing deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and flew more than 200 combat missions in the early days of the Afghanistan Campaign). In 2003, the 169th deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and flew more than 400 combat missions. Then, in 2010, elements of the 169th deployed again to support operations in Iraq.

Col. Mike Hudson, 169th Fighter Wing commander, said, “Deployments of this size and duration are not possible without the support of our families, our civilian employers and the community in general. Their support allows our Swamp Foxes to focus confidently on the mission at hand, and that focus contributed to this hard-working team’s phenomenal mission accomplishment in Afghanistan and at home.”

source: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/93761/wing ... DfqcaOQmes

The jet black tank with the squadron name on 96-082 looks pretty cool.

http://www.aviationcorner.net/show_phot ... ?id=265000

Fighting Samurai deploys airpower to OEF
by 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/21/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Airmen from the 14th Fighter Squadron and 35th Aircraft Maintenance and Maintenance Squadrons at Misawa Air Base, Japan deployed to Southwest Asia on Aug. 13, 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The deployment marks another chapter in the Fighting Samurai's support to the Central Command area of responsibility and their mission during this deployment provides support during a critical phase in the drawdown of forces in Afghanistan. Taliban forces are stepping up efforts to target civilians with extreme violence and the 14 FS and 35th AMXS and MXS are deploying to help bring this to an end.

"This deployment to the CENTCOM area is not the first for our Airmen," said Col. Sam Shaneyfelt, 35th Operations Group commander. "Misawa Airmen have been continuously downrange before this deployment and will be there after the 14th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and 148th Fighter Wing return home."

The main focus for the 14 FS for the past six months has been the ability to deliver on-call close air support in support of International Security Assistance Force objectives. This required extensive day and night training at Misawa and a deployment to Green Flag in Nevada, where the 14 FS worked as a team with Army units and Joint Terminal Air Controllers.

"Specifically, the training was centered on urban areas, confusing target arrays and the ability to drop high-value targets in their tracks at a moment's notice," said Shaneyfelt. "Our pilots and maintainers honed our skill sets to the highest level and I'm exceedingly confident in their razor sharp capabilities."

Several F-16 fighter jets, pilots, maintainers and additional support staff from Misawa Air Base complete the aviation package necessary to help conduct the close air support mission for troops on the ground in Southwest Asia.

The 14 FS has also been busy with other projects outside of preparing for this deployment, like deploying to South Korea, assisting in Tsunami recovery, prepping for and a completing an Operational Readiness Inspection and other training exercises in the Pacific Region within the past two years.

"I'm incredibly proud of our Airmen," said Lt. Col. Gene Sherer, 14 FS commander. "We're fully prepared for this deployment and I'm confident our pilots and maintenance professionals are ready for this mission."

source: http://www.misawa.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123315035