March 5, 2008 (by Asif Shamim) -
The Vermont Air National Guard began converting to the block 30 F-16 today with the arrival of the first jet from the Montana ANG, Air Guard officials said.
Colonel Douglas Fick, the 158th Fighter Wing’s Commander, flew F-16C
#87-0332 from Montana and arrived at the Vermont Air Guard base in South Burlington later Wednesday afternoon. The aircraft arrived still in Montana
ANG markings.
This aircraft will begin the transfer of the more sophisticated
block 30 F-16s that will eventually replace the
block 25 F-16 that the Vermont Air Guard currently flies, said Air Guard officials. The Block 30 model F-16 was produced back in the mid 1980s and is approximately 5 years 'newer' than the block 25 models.
The newer Block 30 F-16 is powered by a General Electric manufactured Engine with of 30,000 pounds of thrust. The Block 25 F-16 is powered by a Pratt and Whitney engine with 25,000 lbs of thrust
