Fighter Jet News

F-16 Timeline

F-16 Events from 1987





15 Mar 1987 Bahrain orders 12 F-16s (Peace Crown I) becoming the 15th customer.
24 Mar 1987 Maiden flight of the F-16N. with test pilot Dave Palmer at the controls. (Read more...)
1 Apr 1987 Both the 68th and 69th Tactical Fighter Squadrons activate with the F-16 at Moody AFB, Georgia.
12 Jun 1987 First block 32 F-16C/Ds delivered to USAF for deployment to Luke AFB (AFRES) and Nellis AFB (57 FWW).
14 Jun 1987 19 TFS, Shaw AFB sets new one-day squadron world record of 160 sorties in commemoration of squadron's 70th anniversary.
16 Jun 1987 First F-16N's delivered to U.S. Navy for Naval Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) and VF-126 adversary squadron at NAS Miramar.
16 Jun 1987 US Navy aggressor squadron VF-126 receives its first F-16N at NAS Miramar, California.
1 Jul 1987 The 944th TFG activates at Luke AFB with new Block 32 F-16C/D's, becoming the first AFRES unit with F-16C/Ds.
8 Jul 1987 Spangdahlem AB, Germany, activates with F-16C/D's, joining the F-4G Wild Weasels on defense suppression hunter/killer teams.
10 Jul 1987 TUAF accepts first F-16 from Peace Onyx I order.
Sep 1987 The AFTI/F-16 program team receives the Air Force Association's 1987 Theodore von Karman Award for most outstanding achievement in science and engineering. (Read more...)
Oct 1987 Japan announces it has selected a derivative of the F-16C for its FS-X program. (Read more...)
13 Oct 1987 F-16 teams dominate Gunsmoke '87, USAF's worldwide bombing competition.
16 Oct 1987 Egypt orders 47 F-16s (Peace Vector III).
25 Oct 1987 USAF Thunderbirds completed Pacific tour to 14 cities in 10 countries: first show in People's Republic of China, first Pacific tour in F-16, first Pacific tour since 1959.
1987 USAF pilot Sergio Del Hoyo is the first to reach 2,000 hours on the F-16.
12 Dec 1987 Thailand orders 12 F-16s (Peace Naresuan I) becoming the 16th customer.
31 Dec 1987 RDAF accepts first F-16 of follow-on order.
31 Dec 1987 First production F-16A block 15OCU (#85-0141) is delivered to the RNlAF.
31 Dec 1987 First production F-16B block 15OCU (#86-0197) is delivered to the RDAF.