F-16 Reference

4th Fighter Squadron ( USAF ACC)

" Fightin' Fuujins"  

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4 FS " Fightin' Fuujins" ( USAF ACC)
Status:
Converted
Version: F-16C/D block 40
Role: Attack
Tailband: Yellow (with a skull and black lightning bolt)
Motto: N/A
Badge: N/A
Converted to the F-35A in 2017.

Sideways profile for the 4th FS in 2006.

F-16 History

The 4th FS holds the record of being the squadron with the longest F-16 operational history within the USAF. It started operating the aircraft in 1980 with block 1, 5 and 10 airframes coming straight from the production line at Fort Worth. Although these were in fact airframes that still had the small stabs, the squadron was tasked with an air-to-ground and attack role. Since the importance of the squadron for this task, newer block 15 airframes came into the unit quite quickly. By 1983 the squadron was completely converted to the block 15 airframes. The 4th kept flying with these airframes up until 1990. It was then that they started receiving the upgraded block 40 version of the F-16. With this newer version the squadron was able to conduct its missions with even greater accuracy and also added a night-time possibility to it.


USAF F-16A block 15 #82-0901 is parked on the tarmac at Hill AFB as part of the 4th TFS. The aircraft was later converted to ADF standard and transferred to Jordan in 2003 under the Peace Falcon II program. [Photo by Mike Kopack]

During a three day event, the 4th Fighter Squadron performed a recorded for an eighteen aircraft F-16 unit by flying 320 sorties.

This came into being with the introduction of the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod to the inventory. The squadron started operating this pod in mid 1990. With tensions rising in the Middle East the squadron had to adopt this new weapon system very quickly and had to train in very different scenarios then previously flown in a couple of months time.

The squadron flies the block 40 airframes for over 20 years now and most of them have high number of flying hours on the airframe. On March 26th, 2009 F-16C #89-2092 surpassed 7,000 flight hours. The aircraft was flying out of Balad AB, Iraq during a rotation deployment to the region. This event was a major maker for the F-16 which was originally never designed to fly so many hours. It was the first F-16C block 40 to break this barrier. Although operated aging airframes the squadron kept operating their F-16s in different operations over the world on a regular bases.

In preparations for conversion to the F-35A, the squadron flew last flight with the F-16 on May 31, 2016. Sister squadron 34th FS had already started to receive the F-35 by this time leaving the other sister squadron the 421st FS to be the last 388th FW, Hill AFB unit to operate the F-16.

Aircraft Markings History

1980 - 1994

The tail consist of a yellow tailband with a lightning bolt in it. The 'HL' tailcode (from Hill) is in the center of the tail with the Tactical Air Command logo in between. The serial is underneath the tailcode.

1994 - 2016

The general lay-out remained the same, but the lightning bolt in the tailband was changed to a skull.


Unit History

  • 1940: Activation of the squadron in Selfridge, Michigan
  • 1940: P-40 'Warhawk' (part of 52 PG)
  • 1941: P-40 'Warhawk' (Langley Field, Virginia)
  • 1942: P-40 'Warhawk' (Selfridge Field, Michigan)
  • 1942: P-40 'Warhawk' (Florence, South Carolina)
  • 1942: P-39 'Airacobra' (Wilmington, North Carolina)
  • 1942: P-39 'Airacobra' (Grenier Field, New Hampshire)
  • 1942: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (Goxhill [Eng.])
  • 1942: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (La Senia [Alg.])
  • 1943: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (Orleanville [Alg.])
  • 1943: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (Telergma [Alg.])
  • 1943: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (Youks-les-Bains [Alg.])
  • 1943: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (Le Sers [Tun.])
  • 1943: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (La Sebala [Tun.])
  • 1943: 'Spitfire' F. Mk. IX (Boccadifalco [It.])
  • 1944: P-51D 'Mustang' (Madna Field [It.])
  • 1945: P-51D 'Mustang' (Piagiolino Field [It.])
  • 1945: P-51D 'Mustang' (Lesina [It.])
  • 1945: P-51D 'Mustang' (Drew Field, Florida)
  • 1945: Disbanded
  • 1946: Activation of the squadron in Yontan [Jap.]
  • 1946: P-61 'Black Widow' (part of 347 FG)
  • 1948: P-61 'Black Widow' (Naha AB [Jap.])
  • 1949: F-82G 'Twin Mustang'
  • 1950: F-82G 'Twin Mustang' (part of 6302 ABG)
  • 1951: F-94C 'Starfire'
  • 1951: F-94C 'Starfire' (part of 6351 ABW)
  • 1953: F-86D 'Sabre' (Kadena AB [Jap.])
  • 1954: F-86D 'Sabre' (Naha AB [Jap.])
  • 1954: F-86D 'Sabre' (Misawa AB [Jap.])
  • 1955: F-86D 'Sabre' (part of 39 AD)
  • 1960: F-102A 'Delta Dagger'
  • 1965: F-4C 'Phantom II' (part of 33 TFW, Eglin AFB, Florida)
  • 1969: F-4C 'Phantom II' (part of 366 TFW, Da Nang AB [S. Vietn.])
  • 1972: RF-4C 'Phantom II' (part of 432 TRW, Takhli AB [Thai.])
  • 1972: RF-4C 'Phantom II' (Udorn AB [Thai.])
  • 1975: F-4D 'Phantom II' (part of 388 TFW, Hill AFB, Utah)
  • 1980: F-16A/B 'Fighting Falcon'
  • 1990: F-16C/D 'Fighting Falcon'
  • 1991: F-16C/D 'Fighting Falcon' (part of 388 OG)
  • 2016: Deactivated

Deployments

' Desert Storm'
Mindhad AB, UAE (August 28th, 1990 to March 27th, 1991)
The deployment to Desert Storm took 16 hours non-stop with 10 aerial refuelings (five at night). This set a record as the longest distance flown non-stop in the F-16. The squadron dropped more than 2,000 tons of conventional munitions on strategic and tactical targets in Iraq and Kuwait during more than 1,000 daytime combat sorties while only two of their aircraft were damaged by enemy fire and none lost in combat.
' Southern Watch'
Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia (March of 1992 to June of 1992)
Operation Southern Watch was an operation which was responsible for enforcing the United Nations mandated no-fly zone below the 32nd parallel in Iraq. This mission was initiated mainly to cover for attacks of Iraqi forces on the Iraqi Shi’ite Muslims.
' Southern Watch'
Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia (April 1995 to June 1995)
Deployed for Operation Southern Watch but the unit was split and located at two different Air Bases in the middle east. One base was in Saudi Arabia and the other was in Kuwait.
' Southern Watch'
Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia (January 1998 to April 1998)
Once again the 4th FS was tasked to perform a mission in southern Iraq to protect the 32nd parallel. The squadron deployed with 120 personnel on this deployment.
' Northern Watch'
Incirlik AB, Turkey (August of 1998 to September 1998)
This marked the first time the squadron was tasked with protecting the northern part of Iraq. This was also the first time it was deployed out of Turkey. Took 12 F-16s and 134 personnel to Incirlick AB, Turkey.
' Southern Watch'
Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia (February 1999 to May of 1999)
This marked the fourth time that the unit became a host of the Hasimite Kingdom. The squadron was deployed again with around 120 personnel for this mission.
' Southern Watch'
Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia (December 1999 to February 2000)
After being home for only about 6 months another assignment to Saudi Arabia was set up. This time the squadron deployed with over 300 personnel and equipment as part of AEF 3.
' Iraqi Freedom'
Balad AB, Iraq (December 2005 to May 2006)
Earliest known deployment of the 4th Fighter Squadron to Iraq. More than 300 airmen from supporting maintenance personal and 12 F-16s left for the region.
' Iraqi Freedom'
Balad AB, Iraq (February 16th, 2007 to May 15th, 2007)
In the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion, a large unit rotation system was set up. It wasn't until 2007 that the 4th FS took part of these rotations since other commitments halted them earlier on.
' Iraqi Freedom'
Balad AB, Iraq (August 17th, 2007 to January 12th, 2008)
Around 300 members were sent and the squadron flew about 1,800 combat missions over the course of 8,000 hours in the air. All three squadrons rotated through the desert, first the 4th FS then the 421st FS followed by the 34th FS which all totalled over one year in the desert with the 34th FS returning in October of 2008. Aircraft were shared between the squadron and remained in theatre the entire time.
' Iraqi Freedom'
Balad AB, Iraq (January 12th, 2009 to May 9th, 2009)
Regularly scheduled deployment. On March 26th, 2009 F-16C #89-2092 broke 7,000 flight hours during a mission over Iraq.
' Enduring Freedom'
Bagram AB, Afghanistan (October 18th, 2010 to April 12th, 2011)
Twelve aircraft were taken to Afghanistan for this deployment. Lasting nearly seen months the first batch of people returned on April 15th with the remaining batch arriving over the remaining week.
' Enduring Freedom/Freedom’s Sentinel '
Bagram AB, Afghanistan (October 2014 to May 1, 2015)
4th EFS deployed to replace the 100th EFS during the end of October 2014 for a six month deployment. Members of both the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings took part. Officially combat operations in Afghanistan ended in late 2014, the deployment was tasked with different counter-terrorism and security missions which included reconnaissance and close-air-support. When departing on the last day of April, the squadron was replaced by the 555th Fighter Squadron.

F-16 Airframe Inventory

Photos

Errors and Omissions

Mar 19, 2016 - 06:49 PM
OIF

The 4th deployed to Iraq prior than what is shown here. I was the 4th AMU OIC at Balad from Dec 2005 to May 2006.





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