Forum: General F-16 forum

Hi, Henrik! So I think, that should be interesting to your latest Cannon AFB Update:

Quote:

1st SOW coming back

By Bruce Rolfsen, Staff writer
"Air Force Times" (November 13, 2006)

The 1st Special Operations Wing is back.

After 13 years of having its flag furled, the 1st SOW will be back among the Air Force’s operational units as of Nov. 16.

The 1st SOW will again be the wing most special operations units assigned to Hurlburt Field, Fla., answer to. Currently the units fall under the 16th Special Operations Wing. The 16th SOW will become the wing assigned to Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., when the Air Force Special Operations Command expands to the western base starting in 2007.

In the minds of many special operators, the rebirth of the 1st SOW corrects a wrong-headed decision made in 1993. That year, then-Chief of Staff Gen. Merrill McPeak directed that no wings could have duplicate numbers. That put the 1st SOW in competition with the 1st Fighter Wing of Langley Air Force Base, Va.

Appeals that no one could mistake a 1st SOW AC-130H Spectre gunship for a 1st FW F-15C Eagle went nowhere. The older 1st FW kept its name. The 1st SOW became history, although the wing’s heraldry and patch design were passed onto the 16th SOW.

Earlier this year as plans solidified to establish a new special operations wing at Cannon, current and former air commandos convinced the Air Staff to bring the 1st SOW back to flying.

The change will be formally made on Nov. 16 as part of AFSOC’s celebration of the Air Force’s 60th anniversary. The celebration will also include the arrival of the first CV-22 Osprey assigned to Hurlburt Field.

As part of the redesignation, the 1st SOW will keep the heraldry it had until 1993 while the 16th SOW will retain the honors since then.

Source: http://www.airforcetimes.com/story.php? ... 349610.php

Please note: This news article is only a "garbage" of my ongoing research work about U.S. Special Operations Forces which were involved in OEF´s main combat phase [related to my topic "OEF Vipers (F-16 Combat History)"]. During the last days and nights, I got some more related SOF input by searching the web, and - in consequence - I will finally buy the expensive (but very important) book "U.S. Army Special Operations in Afghanistan", written by Charles H. Briscoe, Richard Kiper, James A. Schroder and Kalev I. Sepp (latest publication by Paladin Press). Among these Special Forces A-Teams were USAF Combat Controllers who called-in aircraft for air strikes or Close Air Support (CAS). Very interesting!

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Hello J.J.,

Many thanks for Your additional articles and photos, my friend!! Although the F-16s will not continue at Cannon, they will field a rather interesting mix of aircraft in the future, as well!!

Many thanks and greetings,

Henrik.

South Carolina ANG serial update.

J.J. and others,

After a bit of "research" I believe that these below really are the F-16CJs transferred from the 389th FS / 366th FW at Mountain Home AFB, ID to the 169th FS / 157th FS of the South Carolina ANG.

91-0401
91-0413 (The first Viper on the unclear picture).
92-3885
93-0545
93-0547

Greetings,

Henrik.

Henrik
Your doing a great job digging all this info up about the BRAC changes. Since you started covering some of the ANG units you should do the rest of them.

J. Twisted Evil

177SFSF16 wrote:

.....Since you started covering some of the ANG units you should do the rest of them.....

J. Twisted Evil

Hello J.,

Thanks for Your encouragement!! Maybe I will do the rest of the "ANG-Force" - I should have enough information to do so Wink

.

Greetings,

Henrik.

Sounds good Henrik, just interested to see what's going on in the ANG world.

J. Twisted Evil

Hi, Henrik! As announced above, on November 16, 2006, the 16th SOW at Hurlburt Field, Florida, was redesignated as 1st SOW. The flag of the 16th SOW will fly again shortly, as the wing designation moves later this year to the new special operations unit at Cannon AFB, New Mexico.
Also on November 16, Special Operations Command's first operational CV-22 Osprey arrived at Hurlburt Field. The Osprey was flown by Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander, as part of the command's Air Force 60th anniversary commemoration. The 8th SOS will fly the new aircraft. The CV-22's mission will be to execute infiltration and exfiltration, and resupply missions.

Sources:
http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123032183
http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123023575
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/ ... 2E-107.jpg

Latest movements: 149th FS (exact dates unknown but have already occurred and very very recently)

86-0243 to 121st FS (Nov 2006)
86-0232 to 121st FS (Nov 2006)
86-0245 to Texas (I'm guessing 457th FS but are 111th or 182nd FS converting to the small mouth block 30?)
85-1546 to Iowa

86-0230 to 121st FS scheduled to go next week

Henrik, one of your 157th FS/389th FS movements is incorrect. I will post the correct ones later, but not allowed right now. Rest assured we have them Smile

Last edited by Henrik on Feb 03, 2007 - 02:34 AM; edited 1 time in total

Hello Jon,

THAT is the coolest ever!! Many thanks , old buddy Razz

. You are actually confirming a lot here - 86-0245 to Texas - definitely the 457th FS / 301st FW AFRC. The 111th will stay on the Block-25s for the time being and the 182nd will keep their "Big Inlet" Block-30s and gain three more as for now.

85-1546 goes to Iowa and the 132nd FW / 124th FS but that this unit will receive "Small Inlet" Block-30s!!?? Aircrew trainer, maybe.

Many more thanks and greetings,

Henrik.

Hello all,

Not directly related to the BRAC changes I still find this below article quite interesting as it concentrates on the "Big Mouth" block-30 aircraft in the 80th FS / 8th FW at Kunsan AB, Korea.

Quote:

Kunsan F-16 fleet prepares for 'Falcon STAR'
by Senior Airman Stephen Collier
8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

11/30/2006 - KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFPN) -- The Block 30 F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 80th Fighter Squadron here are set to enter upgrade in the Air Force's Falcon Structural Augmentation Roadmap program aimed at extending the service life of the aircraft.

The improvement to the fleet follows previous air-to-ground dominance to air-to-air interdiction upgrades to adapt to an ever-changing mission, officials here said.

Over the years, each F-16 aged more than four times as fast when compared to the original design conceived by General Dynamics and the Air Force in the 1970s. The F-16 remains the fighter of choice for U.S. Forces Korea, said Capt. Christopher Lombardo, the 8th Maintenance Operations Squadron operations officer.

He added that as the F-16 continues to adapt to an evolving mission, attaining the aircraft's mandated service life of 8,000 hours "is critically important to the aircraft sustainment community."

"Quite simply, Falcon STAR replaces the structural components that are aging prematurely," Captain Lombardo said. "After the modification, the aircraft will have the newest and most reliable materials needed to take the aircraft through its designed operational life."

Each aircraft has a new maximum operational weight of approximately 39,000 pounds, due to its use of an array of weaponry from Global Positioning System guided bombs to radar-guided, air-to-air missiles. The previous designed weight for the F-16 was 22,500 pounds.

Because of the extra stress put on these airframes, 8th Fighter Wing leaders, in an alliance with Korea Aerospace Industries, are working together to update and harden several areas of the aircraft, including the frame, support beams and bulkheads.

"This modification benefits the Air Force, because we're extending the life span of the F-16," Captain Lombardo said. "Not only does this modification increase the reliability of the aircraft structure, but it indirectly reduces the ... sustainment costs by replacing aging items with durable materials."

Modifications on two aircraft are already under way and expected to be complete by February. Each F-16 at Kunsan should have its Falcon STAR upgrades completed by early 2008. Falcon STAR is also supported by Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units supporting F-16 operations.

Source: http://www.f-16.net/news_article2074.html

In my personal opinion I still believe that these currently operated Block-30 F-16s in the 80th FS will not go to the 18th FS / 354th FW at Eielson AFB, AK, to form the upcoming 18th AGRS.

Any further comments are highly welcome!!

Greetings,

Henrik.

Anyone keeping a running list, as in a spreadsheet or something?

Hello all,

Recently transferred from the 132nd FW / 124th FS of the Iowa ANG to the 138th FW / 125th FS of the Oklahoma ANG is 89-2019.

It was one of a few Block-42s to be based overseas when the 36th TFS / 51st TFW at Osan AB, Korea received Block-42s in 1990.

Greetings,

Henrik.

Hello all,

Air Guard task force planned.
F-16 retirement raises mission questions.

By PETER HARRIMAN

PUBLISHED: December 8, 2006.

The South Dakota Air National Guard's 114th Fighter Wing has flown some form
of Air Force lethal muscle since former governor, World War II Medal of
Honor recipient and fighter ace Joe Foss helped establish it in 1946.

"We've been in the fighter business since day one," says Lt. Col. Reid
Christopherson, the 114th's executive officer. From the World War II era
P-51s it was originally issued to the F-16s it flies today, fighters have
always occupied the 114th's hangars at Joe Foss Field.

State Air National Guard proponents want to ensure that continues as the Air
Force plans to roll out the new generation F-35 Joint Strike fighters around
2009. They want to create a task force similar to the one in Rapid City that
played a major role in helping Ellsworth Air Force Base survive a round of
Defense Department base closings in 2005. Rep. Stephanie Herseth on Thursday
met with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley and talked about the
Sioux Falls base's future.
"As we step into January 2007, that will be the 15th anniversary of the
assignment of the F-16s," Christopherson said. "Those aircraft came to us in
1992. They were mostly 1985 models. Fifteen years later, we are still flying
those aircraft. They are 22 years old, and they are obviously aging."

In the past, when the Air Guard wondered about its future, there was always
a newer jet in the Air Force inventory. Now, "We're in a different
environment, " Christopherson said. "The things we're hoping to transition
into haven't even been fielded yet."
Air Guard supporters have to hope the 114th's long record of competence,
excellent facilities, proximity to ideal air space and community support
will be sufficient to ensure the Air Force hands out new fighters to Air
Guard and active duty units.

About 1,700 F-35's are planned, Herseth said. However, she said Moseley told
her many more F-16s were ultimately built than were originally called for.
The expense of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, though, has put pressure on
military budgets, Herseth said.

"The big thing is the extent to which Congress authorizes purchase of the
Joint Strike aircraft," Christopherson said. "The fewer that are purchased,
the fewer squadrons" will have fighter missions, he said.
If there are not enough new planes for everyone, the Air Guard wants to
ensure it has something worthwhile to do.

"We have done very well with F-16s. I think we would do similarly well with
the F-35 fighter," Herseth said. "It's a good fit. But I do want to keep all
options on the table."
"We're watching the trends in bomber missions, fighter missions, unmanned
aerial aircraft vehicles," Christopherson said.

Ron Mielke, South Dakota Air Force Association president and retired South
Dakota Air Guard brigadier general, is heading up the effort to establish a
task force with another former Air Guard leader, retired Brig. Gen. R.J.
Clifft.

"We still have a keen interest in the future of the South Dakota Air
National Guard," Mielke said. "As the F-16 goes out of the military
inventory, we need to start thinking about what will replace that airplane."
Mielke says he saw what effective advocates community task forces in Rapid
City and Minot, N.D., were for bases there. He began inquiring at the Sioux
Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and in mayor Dave Munson's office about
setting up a task force here focused on the 114th Fighter Wing.

"I just think the Air Guard is such an important component of Sioux Falls,
anything we can do to help support that unit out there would be worthwhile,"
Munson said. Of a task force, he said, "I think the concept is a good one
and the right thing to do."
The 114th has civil engineering, security, medical and other mission support
services in addition to its F-16s.

"Even away from the aircraft, we're always looking for a new mission,"
Christopherson said.

Greetings,

Henrik.

After 15 years and most of its life with the 149th FS 86-0230 left for the 121st FS on wednesday.

USAF F-16C block 30 #86-0230 from the 149th FS is surrounded by maintenance equipment.

Are 184th FS F-16s starting to move out yet?

Jon wrote:

Are 184th FS F-16s starting to move out yet?

Yes. Several went to Fresno last month.

Jake

Forum: General F-16 forum

Post-BRAC 2005 F-16 line-up