Heads To Davis-Monthan After 22 Years In Service With Wing
The last operational F-16A Fighting Falcon flew its final
mission from Arizona's Tucson Air National Guard Base on June 15,
taking off for indefinite storage at the Aerospace Maintenance and
Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
The 162nd Fighter Wing, having flown the A and B models since
taking on the F-16 training mission in 1985, retired its one
remaining F-16A and two F-16B model aircraft, completing its
conversion to the more modern F-16C and F-16D.
"As one of the world's premier F-16 training units, we must stay
relevant," said Brigadier General Rick Moisio, 162nd Fighter Wing
commander. "We constantly transition to newer, more advanced
aircraft because that's what pilots will fly when they graduate
from our program."
"The F-16 is currently the most popular fighter in the world,"
he said, "and we've trained pilots from 22 of 24 countries that fly
the aircraft today."
Over the last 22 years, the wing trained 1,640 US and allied
pilots in the F-16A/B alone.
The retirement marks the end of an era and finalizes the Air
Guard's seamless transition to the newer aircraft, said Colonel
Greg Stroud, 162nd Maintenance Group commander and F-16 pilot.
"Some of our maintenance crew chiefs have known these planes for
more than 20 years," said the colonel. "They were built in '82 and
'83. Imagine owning a car that long. It's a real testament to the
expertise and hard work of countless Air Guardsmen, active and
retired, who kept these planes in great condition."
"Our instructor pilots and our maintainers have undergone the
necessary upgrade training for the F-16C and D and will continue to
provide the best training and the safest aircraft available."
The F-16A, a single-seat model, first flew in December 1976. The
first operational F-16A was delivered in January 1979 to the 388th
Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, UT.
Improvement programs throughout the years led to the F-16C and
F-16D aircraft, which are the single- and two-seat counterparts to
the F-16A and F-16B, and incorporate the latest cockpit control and
display technology. All active duty units and most Air National
Guard and Air Force Reserve units converted to the F-16C and D
years ago.
Since September 11, 2001, the F-16 has been a major component of
the combat forces committed to the war on terrorism flying
thousands of sorties in support of operations Noble Eagle, Enduring
Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter
aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in
air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a
relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United
States and allied nations.
The last time the wing retired an aircraft model was in 1992
when the last A-7D Corsair II was delivered to AMARG.
(Aero-News salutes Capt. Gabe Johnson, 162nd Fighter Wing
Public Affairs)