In one of the largest troop realignments since the end of the Cold War, US President George Bush has announced plans to call 60,000 to 70,000 American troops home from Europe and Asia. The F-16 Fighter Wings at Spangdahlem and Aviano however would remain... for now.
From August 13th to August 28th, pilots and support personnel from the 522nd and 524th Fighter Squadron will be participating in the "Red Flag" exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, Nev.
Pilots and maintainers at Misawa Air Base, Japan, are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first batch of retrofitted "Wild Weasels" due back Monday after extensive upgrades at Hill Air Force Base depot in Utah.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force's F-16AM #80-3665 completed its week as the first EPAF F-16 with 5,000 flight hours. The tail did get a special paint job for its sortie. Well done everybody at Bodoe MAS!
Major Thomas P. Klingensmith distinguished himself by heroism while participating in aerial flight as F-16 Pilot, 466th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 410th Air Expeditionary Wing near north of lake Tar Tar in central Iraq on 2 April 2003.
On July 6th, two F-16s landed at Naval Air Station Lemoore with more following later. The F-16s belong to the Fresno's 144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard.
We are sad to announce the passing of a long time F-16 pilot, Lt. Col Mark "Dutchy" DeCesari. Mark started off flying the Viper at Hahn AB, GE, was a FWS grad and a decorated Desert Storm vet, and was a squadron operations officer with the Tucson ANG when he died unexpectedly of a heart attack on June 21, 2004.
The same type of cable braking system used to stop carrier-based aircraft from plunging off flight decks into the sea is being installed at the Dane County Regional Airport, Wisconsin.
Four Egyptian F-16 pilots and two maintenance officers visited Cannon AFB last week to observe how the U.S. Air Force runs its business.
Veteran F-16 pilot Col. Philip Ruhlman is due to take up command of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base on June 24.
Pentagon planners have announced a request for more rights for the use of Incirlik AB, Turkey and intend to move the aircraft from Spangdahlem AB Germany. Their reason as stated is to put these units closer to the Middle East to be better responsive. This is part of a major plan to change the European based USAF.
Brigadier General select Robin Rand took command of Luke Air Force Base on Tuesday June 8, 2004. Luke AFB is the USAF's largest Wing and will typically put out 900 pilots and 900 crew chiefs in a single year.
Six F-16 pilots from the Air National Guard's 107th Fighter Squadron returned to their Selfridge ANGB home base after three months of combat operations in Iraq. The 107th FS deployed to Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq on February 27th, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Airmen and F-16s from the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, have deployed to Paya Lebar AB in Singapore to train with Singaporean Airmen during exercise Commando Sling 04-3.
Col. Robin Rand, commander of the 8th Fighter Wing - the "Wolf Pack" - relinquished command to Col. William W. Uhle Jr. in a 9 a.m. ceremony yesterday at Kunsan Air Base.
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