F-16, F-22 and F-35 News
Bulgaria receives first of 16 new F-16s
Bulgaria has officially received the first F-16 Fighting Falcon it bought, marking a major step in modernizing its air force and aligning with NATO standards. The arrival of the jet at Graf Ignatievo Air Base on April 2nd, 2025, signals a new era for Bulgaria’s defense capabilities.
Philippines cleared to buy F-16s at estimated $5.6B
The United States has officially approved the sale of 20 F-16 Fighting Falcons to the Philippines as part of a $5.6 billion weapons package. This milestone decision is a major step in strengthening the Southeast Asian nation’s air force and reinforcing its defense capabilities amid rising regional tensions.
77 FS ‘Gamblers' make their first appearance at Cope Tiger 25
The U.S. Air Force 77th Fighter Squadron ‘Gamblers' have flown countless missions supporting numerous conflicts and exercises around the world for 107 years, making them one of the most storied flying units still operating. Today, they're bringing that knowledge and lethality to the Pacific theatre for Cope Tiger 25—a rare first in the unit's long history.
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F-16 Fleet Status
F-16 fleet - Apr 24, 2025
Fleet overview:
scrapped: 204
write-off: 623
preserved: 166
stored: 585
instructional: 123
on order: 106
active: 2872
Changes '23/'24:
Fleet adds: 102
Fleet drop: 51
See detailed fleet reports
Sponsor - New
Today in F-16 history
Apr 1996
TUAF accepts first F-16 from Peace Onyx II order.
24 Apr 1994
F-16 tested with conformal fuel tank shapes.
Quote of the Day
A thunderstorm is nature's way of saying, Up yours.
-- Len Morgan
F-16 Hall of Fame
War Bird
USAF #81679
F-16A Block 15
The only F-16 from the Thunderbirds ever to be made combat ready. The Tbirds are required to be able to make their F-16s combat ready within 72 hours. In 1988, this was put to the test. The ground crew pulled it off with time to spare, except for the paint scheme. The jet flew a combat training sortie and afterwards received the nickname 'War Bird'.
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F-16 Forum
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F-22 and F-35 Forum
F-35 incidents in JapanGamera
Portuguese Air Force F-35 acquisitionricnunes
Lockheed looks to 'supercharge' the F-35Corsair1963
UK MOD in a muddle over F-35Cnoth
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F-35 program updateswrightwing
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Military Aviation Forum
Russia-Ukraine War 2022hornetfinn
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From C-130.net
New C-130 production List82innovations...
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Callsign of the day

Callsign "Puppette"

Female Hornet driver in a squadron that traditionally gave the FNG the callsign "Pup" until they earned something worse, or someone new showed. She felt that as a female, the call-sign should acknowledge the fact with the "-ette" suffix. The squadron went with it and by the time another new pilot joined, she had had the call-sign so long she was fond of it and refused to give it up. Later, after Tailhook, the PTBs decided to police everyone's callsign and through some twisted logic that probably said more about their own dirty minds concluded that her callsign was some sort of sexual reference and demanded it be changed. Predictably, she refused and earned everyone's respect for doing so.
More callsigns
Sierra Hotel
Latest Viper Drivers to reach 1K - 6K flying hours:
6,000 Hours 6,000 Hrs
2008-05-02
Lt.Col. Mike "Brillo" Brill
| 466 FS | 421 FS  
5,000 Hours 5,000 Hrs
2021-09-21
Lt.Col. David "Grits" Gritsavage
| 134 FS | 134 FS | 125 FS  
4,000 Hours 4,000 Hrs
2024-12-03
Lt.Col. Donald "Rhett" Butler (Ret.)
79 FS | 422 TES | 1 sqn  
3,000 Hours 3,000 Hrs
2023-07-26
2,000 Hours 2,000 Hrs
2023-11-15
1,000 Hours 1,000 Hrs
2023-08-24
More F-16 Pilots profiles
Crew Chief Profiles
MSgt. George Lively (added: 10 Apr 2025)
TSgt. William Muehlberg (added: 9 Apr 2025)
314 FS | 35 FS | 314 FS | 309 FS | 309 FS
TSgt. Jon Paone (added: 13 Jan 2017)
177 FW
TSgt. Chuck Burchess (added: 27 Oct 2007)
310 FS | 80 FS | 23 FS | F-117 | 80 FS | 23 FS | 52 FW | 52 FW | F-15E
SSgt. David Brezovsky (added: 9 Jan 2025)
52 FW | 52 FW | 57 FW
More F-16 Crew Chief profiles
F-16 Unit
64 AGRS "Aggressors" (USAF ACC)