Forum: F-16 News

F-16.net news article: <a href="news_article2123.html">Squadron of 16 US F-16s lands at Incirlik AB, Turkey</a>

Special thanks for this very hot info, Lieven! At least for me, that´s a surprise. If I remember right, after OIF´s main combat phase the U.S. military got new access to Incirlik AB only for transport aircraft (with destinations mainly related to OEF in Afghanistan). I checked "Yahoo! News" and "Google" for more details (deployed unit and cause of their deployment), but without any results. The quoted Turkish newspaper website also states no additional info. So I hope, within days we will get an official USAF news.

First comment: 24 fighter jets from a single unit would be a very large package for current USAF deployments and especially for any bilateral or multilateral exercise. For OIF combat operations, F-16 expeditionary fighter squadrons deploy to Balad AB, Iraq, with twelve aircraft each. Because there are two F-16 EFSs at the same time (an active duty unit and an ANG or AFRC "Rainbow Team"), Balad AB hosts 24 Vipers during each AEF rotation.

(Oups! This was my 888th post since late October 2005. Cheers

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Very interesting, J.J.!!

I got a "heads-up", as well, but I do not yet know the squadron(s) involved!!

Congratulations on Your 888th post, my friend Cheers

.

Greetings,

Henrik.

JJ, Henrik and all,

F-16s from the 52FW I believe.

Regards

Mark

Wow that is a big package, must be more then one squadron. Henrik did you get my PM on Homestead?

Thank you, Henrik, dear old fellow! Meanwhile, on the virtual bar I ordered some more Beer

for us. You should be my virtual guest, and I will drink with you using the German words: "Prost, Kumpel!"

Back to the topic: If this Turkish news article, posted by Lieven from http://www.hurriyet.com.tr should be 100% true, I will go in my archives to fill up the information gap (at least on F-16.net) related to Incirlik AB since ONW ended and OIF started. But yet I still need a verified info which U.S. F-16 unit should be really deployed to Incirlik AB and in which purpose.

JJ that can't be just one unit, there is no way. It could also be a rain bowed training deployment using what I think is the Kona range?

Thank you very much, raameagle! As you told us, the deployed Vipers must be from the 52nd FW (EUCOM), Spangdahlem AFB, Germany.

I fully agree with Purplehaze who posted:

Quote:

JJ that can't be just one unit, there is no way. It could also be a rain bowed training deployment using what I think is the Kona range?

Please wait, Purplehaze! I still await a related USAF news release. For the moment, as raameagle told us, they are from the 52nd FW (EUCOM), Spangdahlem AFB, Germany.

J.J., Purplehaze and others,

I agree totally - it must definately be more than one unit!! Remember that even active duty F-16 squadrons currently comprise "no more" than 20-23 aircraft!! It is highly unlikely that it is a one-squadron thing.

I believe that raameagle could be right about Spang-birds for the Konya range.

J.J., thanks my friend - I will drink a beer with You anytime, Prost Mein Freund!! Cheers

.

Purplehaze, thank You for Your PMs regarding the requested "HS" Vipers. Did I not reply You??

Greetings,

Henrik.

I have the callsigns at work for the flights from Spangdahlem earlier this week. Off the top of my head they used standard Coronet callsigns, in this case Cube but I can't remember the corresponding callsign numbers.

Regards

Mark

Henrik wrote:

J.J., Purplehaze and others,

I agree totally - it must definately be more than one unit!! Remember that even active duty F-16 squadrons currently comprise "no more" than 20-23 aircraft!! It is highly unlikely that it is a one-squadron thing.

I believe that raameagle could be right about Spang-birds for the Konya range.

J.J., thanks my friend - I will drink a beer with You anytime, Prost Mein Freund!! Cheers

.

Purplehaze, thank You for Your PMs regarding the requested "HS" Vipers. Did I not reply You??

Greetings,

Henrik.

Henrik your numbers for total aircraft are a little off, at least for the 15 world. Still probably not just one squadron though.

Thanks akruse,

Yes, I know that these numbers can and may vary a bit. Are F-15 units really that much bigger?? I know Yours are at LN Cool

, but in general??

Greetings,

Henrik.

I guess all the merchants on the "Alley" finally got tired of the loss of income. Don't let us help our troops on the ground but take our money for decades. Sorry for the rant but it's a personal sore spot. You try being just a few miles from the fighting and having your jets stripped and virtually impounded and see how you feel. I understand politics and sovreign status of nations so please don't lecture me.

Only a thought: 510th FS have deployed at least 12 F-16s which are heading to Balad, could some of these jets in this group be part of that deployment cycle?

Quote:

I guess all the merchants on the "Alley" finally got tired of the loss of income. Don't let us help our troops on the ground but take our money for decades. Sorry for the rant but it's a personal sore spot. You try being just a few miles from the fighting and having your jets stripped and virtually impounded and see how you feel. I understand politics and sovreign status of nations so please don't lecture me.

Falcon I know just what you are talking about, however it's not the fault of the shop keepers in the "Alley". I remember when I was there as a Pro Super flying ONW missions we were MICAP for a MLPRF and it had arrived, but the Turks wouldn't release it, it was stuck in there customs or and I'm sure I won't spell this right "Bayanone". We needed that part bad so I went over to the customs hanger with a carton of Marlboro's and left with a MLPRF. They are good people and I don't want to blame them for there government.