F-16 from Hill AFB to get new homes as training aircraft

Discussions about F-16.net news articles. A topic is created automatically whenever someone posts a comment in the F-16 News section.
Active Member
Active Member
 
Posts: 162
Joined: 13 Jul 2015, 00:26

by slapshot! » 18 Aug 2016, 01:05

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/mili ... /88568178/

The Air Force will soon stand up interim F-16 training units to increase pilot output, the service announced Thursday.

“We need to increase our pilot production, and soon we will announce the stand up of new F-16 training units,” Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told reporters at a State of the Air Force briefing with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. "We expect to select candidate locations for up to two new training locations by the end of December 2016.

“In the meantime we intend to augment up to two of our existing training units to jump-start pilot production by the end of September 2017,” she said on Wednesday.

Because the Air Force cannot permanently base formal training units, or FTUs, without first conducting an environmental impact analysis, cost benefit analysis, and other site surveys, “which takes time,” an interim solution to increase fighter pilot training will temporarily move F-16 aircraft at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to two of the existing F-16 training locations, the Air Force said in a release.

The new plan would alter the the Air Force's original plan to keep the F-16s at Hill until 2018. According to the service's fiscal 2017 budget documents, the original force structure plan for its fleet of aircraft called for Hill to keep its fleet of 54 F-16s until some time in fiscal year 2018.

The bases being considered to take Hill’s F-16 fighter jets are Luke Air Force Base or Tucson Air Guard Station, Arizona; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; or Joint Base San Antonio’s Kelly Air Guard Station, Texas.

“The Air Force is committed to a deliberate and open process to address relocating the F-16s,” said Jennifer A. Miller, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations. “As we progress through the basing process, we will share information so interested communities are aware of what to expect,” she said in the release.

The F-16 Falcons at Hill have needed to exit the base for space reasons for quite some time: The pilots and crews at Hill have been putting the new, fifth-generation F-35 through its paces for a few years. Eventually, the base is looking to set up three full F-35 squadrons with a total of 72 aircraft by 2019.

It’s no secret the Air Force wants to increase pilot output as soon as possible given the shortage of fliers, which puts the service in “a crisis,” both James and Goldfein said.

Site surveys will begin at the interim locations next week to gather detailed information on operational requirements, infrastructure capacity, environmental considerations, and cost, the service said.

After the Air Force identifies candidate bases for the long-term, permanent solution later this year, Air Education and Training Command will “conduct site surveys at each location as applicable,” the release stated.

“Site survey teams will assess each location against operational requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, infrastructure, environmental considerations and manpower. They will also develop cost estimates to beddown the F-16s,” the statement said.


User avatar
F-16.net Editor
F-16.net Editor
 
Posts: 1984
Joined: 06 Nov 2003, 18:21

by Jon » 23 Aug 2016, 01:14

I've heard the new CAS squadron will be the 24th TASS. Can anyone confirm this?


User avatar
Active Member
Active Member
 
Posts: 151
Joined: 19 May 2008, 16:52
Location: las vegas, nevada

by EOR » 23 Aug 2016, 03:47

Jon wrote:I've heard the new CAS squadron will be the 24th TASS. Can anyone confirm this?

yes


User avatar
F-16.net Editor
F-16.net Editor
 
Posts: 1984
Joined: 06 Nov 2003, 18:21

by Jon » 23 Aug 2016, 03:52

EOR wrote:
Jon wrote:I've heard the new CAS squadron will be the 24th TASS. Can anyone confirm this?

yes


Thanks EOR, and what does TASS stand for?


User avatar
Active Member
Active Member
 
Posts: 151
Joined: 19 May 2008, 16:52
Location: las vegas, nevada

by EOR » 23 Aug 2016, 04:32

Tactical Air Support Squadron


User avatar
F-16.net Editor
F-16.net Editor
 
Posts: 1984
Joined: 06 Nov 2003, 18:21

by Jon » 23 Aug 2016, 04:40

EOR wrote:Tactical Air Support Squadron


Seemed possible, but so long since "Tactical" has been used in the USAF squadron designations. Thanks!

The 24th TASS inactivated on March 31, 1991 at Howard Air Force Base.


User avatar
Active Member
Active Member
 
Posts: 145
Joined: 24 Oct 2005, 11:21

by dragracingmaniac » 23 Aug 2016, 11:01

Jon wrote:
EOR wrote:Tactical Air Support Squadron


Seemed possible, but so long since "Tactical" has been used in the USAF squadron designations. Thanks!

The 24th TASS inactivated on March 31, 1991 at Howard Air Force Base.


Well, they cant really make it Aerial Support Squadron, can they? Probably should add the "T" :P


User avatar
F-16.net Editor
F-16.net Editor
 
Posts: 1984
Joined: 06 Nov 2003, 18:21

by Jon » 23 Aug 2016, 13:37

dragracingmaniac wrote:
Jon wrote:
EOR wrote:Tactical Air Support Squadron


Seemed possible, but so long since "Tactical" has been used in the USAF squadron designations. Thanks!

The 24th TASS inactivated on March 31, 1991 at Howard Air Force Base.


Well, they cant really make it Aerial Support Squadron, can they? Probably should add the "T" :P


:-D

I would have liked 24th CASS.


Active Member
Active Member
 
Posts: 162
Joined: 13 Jul 2015, 00:26

by slapshot! » 23 Aug 2016, 17:29

24th a$$?

^^^ thats a weird censor.


User avatar
F-16.net Editor
F-16.net Editor
 
Posts: 1984
Joined: 06 Nov 2003, 18:21

by Jon » 16 Nov 2016, 06:36

Anybody have any updates about this new squadron the 24th TASS? Has it officially operational yet?


Elite 1K
Elite 1K
 
Posts: 1866
Joined: 08 Jul 2004, 19:22
Location: Norway

by Boman » 17 Nov 2016, 19:00

According to Air Force Magazine, this wouldn't happen until 2018
Best regards
Niels


Senior member
Senior member
 
Posts: 299
Joined: 06 Sep 2015, 13:54

by gideonic » 03 May 2017, 10:55

Hill Air Force Base saying goodbye to remaining F-16 fleet later this month
Last week, eight F-16s and more than 200 airmen from Hill’s 388th and 419th fighter wings deployed to Albacete Air Base in Spain, participating in a noncombat North Atlantic Treaty Organization training exercise.

Kari Tilton, 419th spokeswoman, said by the time the deployment is over on May 19, the F-16s will have flown out of the base for the final time.

“This is the last time the F-16 will deploy with the Hill designated ‘HL’ painted on its tail,” said 388th Maintenance Group commander Col. Michael Miles, in a press release.

The exercise, known as the Tactical Leadership Programme, is conducted annually and designed to increase NATO air defense capabilities by integrating several NATO-participating allies.

The two Hill fighter wings are working with air forces from 10 countries, according to the press release.

Each day, Hill F-16 pilots fly with 20 to 30 allied aircraft, fighting against a similar number of mock adversaries. Pilots and crews fly and fight with foreign aircraft in unfamiliar environments, learning to overcome differences in language and flying techniques.

The final flights are the last chapter in a Northern Utah history that started in the late 1970s.

In 1979, the 388th received its first F-16A and became the first fully operational F-16 Fighter Wing in the Air Force. In 1981, the fighter wing took the planes overseas for the first time on a mission to Norway. The 419th received its first jet in 1984 to become the Air Force’s first F-16 reserve wing.

Since those days, Hill F-16s have flown in Operation Desert Storm and deployed multiple times to Afghanistan and Iraq.

As the last remnants of Hill’s 40-year fighter fleet wrap up in Spain, the Air Force continues to send Hill’s F-16s to other bases to supplement fighter pilot training.

http://www.standard.net/Military/2017/0 ... month.html


Elite 1K
Elite 1K
 
Posts: 1866
Joined: 08 Jul 2004, 19:22
Location: Norway

by Boman » 30 May 2017, 05:54

88-0457 was flying with HO tailcodes during the wings last deployment to the TLP according to AFM.
To me this indicates that the ex-Hill Vipers will join the 54FG and that the new squadron likely will be 312FS rather than 24TASS.
Also don't understand why so many jets in the database have already been linked to the 24 TASS when many of these are still flying as 4FS jets?
Best regards
Niels


Enthusiast
Enthusiast
 
Posts: 57
Joined: 22 Dec 2010, 07:49
Location: Zeist, The Netherlands

by air-to-air » 30 May 2017, 06:58

Boman wrote:88-0457 was flying with HO tailcodes during the wings last deployment to the TLP according to AFM.
To me this indicates that the ex-Hill Vipers will join the 54FG and that the new squadron likely will be 312FS rather than 24TASS.
Also don't understand why so many jets in the database have already been linked to the 24 TASS when many of these are still flying as 4FS jets?


24th TASS is Nellis AFB based, nothing to do with Holloman. They are flying missions on a daily base at Nellis. Hill F-16s are send to Holloman, AZ ANG, SD ANG, Aviano.


Elite 1K
Elite 1K
 
Posts: 1866
Joined: 08 Jul 2004, 19:22
Location: Norway

by Boman » 30 May 2017, 08:44

Strange that the 24th TASS is not listed under the official 57th wing units then?
http://www.nellis.af.mil/Units/57-WG/

As for the Vipers supposedly assigned to 24th TASS, just about all carry the 4FS markings and still flies with this unit, so still don't understand why these are logged as "belonging" to the 24th TASS, a still non-existing unit?

From this environmental report dated April 2017 it is fairly clear that the TASS under discussion is still in the future. It isn't even numbered yet (although 24th is a good suggestion)
http://www.nellis.af.mil/Portals/104/Do ... 201742-717
Best regards
Niels


Next

Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 5 guests