Fighter Jet News

F-16 Timeline

F-16 Events from 1991





17 Jan 1991 Start of Operation Desert Storm, the first combat deployment for USAF F-16s. F-16s perform 25 percent of strike sorties (300-400 daily) throughout the war, totaling 13,500 sorties.
19 Jan 1991 F-16s participate in the first day-light raid of Operation Desert Storm and attack targets in Baghdad. Two F-16s from the 614th TFS are lost, and the pilots taken prisoner.
22 Jan 1991 Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway complete LoA, certifying their commitment to the F-16A/B Mid-Life Update (MLU) program.
25 Jan 1991 Bahraini F-16s fly their first mission in Operation Desert Storm, and begin offensive operations on the following days.
25 Jan 1991 Egyptian Air Force acepts first F-16 from Peace Vector III order. (Read more...)
1 Mar 1991 Start of Operation Southern Watch, in which F-16s operating from Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia, enforce a no-fly zone over southern Iraq.
17 Mar 1991 South Korea orders 120 F-16s (Peace Bridge II).
5 Apr 1991 Egypt orders 46 F-16s (Peace Vector IV).
5 Apr 1991 Start of Operation Provide Comfort I, in which F-16s enforce a no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
5 Jun 1991 Operational F-16s of the Florida Air National Guard fire live AIM-7 missiles for the first time in successful tests at Tyndall AFB, Florida.
11 Jun 1991 IDFAF accepts first F-16 from Peace Marbel III order.
4 Jul 1991 Forth Worth receives first major subcontracts for FS-X development work to be performed in the United States for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan.
5 Jul 1991 U.S. Air Force awards contract to begin MLU full-scale development effort.
24 Jul 1991 Start of Operation Provide Comfort II, in which F-16s enforce a no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
14 Aug 1991 The Justice Department accused General Electric of fraud for billing the Pentagon $30 million for the non-existent sale of F-16 parts to the Israeli military.
27 Sep 1991 Last of 160 BAF F-16s, #FA-136, rolls off the SABCA production line. (Read more...)
30 Oct 1991 AFTI/F-16 completes its 500th flight. (Read more...)
31 Oct 1991 First production F-16C block 50 (#90-0801) is delivered to the USAF at Fort Worth, where it will remain until early 1992 for tasks related to fleet introduction.
3 Nov 1991 Congress approves 1992 defense budget providing for procurement of 48 USAF F-16s in FY 92, with advance funding for 24 in FY 93.
30 Nov 1991 PAF accepts first F-16 from Peace Gate III order, but the aircraft are embargoed.
1991 Delivery is made of 3,000th F-16.
4 Dec 1991 Thailand orders 18 F-16s (Peace Naresuan III).