TuAF F-16C
block 30 #88-0027 from 142 Filo seen taxiing during Spring Flag 2008 at Decimomannu on April 16th, 2008.
142 Filo followed very soon after 141 Filo received its aircraft. Instead of receiving new aircraft directly from the TAI factory, the squadron received the block 30 airframes which were already in use with its sister squadron, which was also based at Mürted AFB. Because pilot training with Öncel Filo was also progressing very well, the need for an extended batch of aircraft with that squadron was not as urgently and a number of block 30 airframes from them were also transferred to 142 Filo to form a complete squadron.
The F-16 replaced the F-104G Starfighter, as in most European NATO countries. The mission of the squadron thus was air defence as primary role, with a secondary attack role. This did not change with the introduction of the F-16. It was just replacing an obsolete aircraft with a newer one with more capabilities. Besides this task, they alos have a dedicated strike role. Nuclear weapons are stored at Incirlik AB and the squadron is relocated there in case of such an emergency.
Through the years the squadron always suffered some shortages concerning airframe availability. In 1999, the Turkish Staff decided to disband the squadron to concentrate on block 30 availability for 143 Filo in the training role. It seemed very quickly that this decision was ill conceived and in 2002 the squadron was reactivated, using the same aircraft in the same role.
With the delivery of the brand-new block 50 airframes in 2011-2012, 142 Filo was the first unit to convert to these new airframes. The older block 30 airframes are dispersed to 143 Filo to be concentrated into one squadron.
