Active 1940–Current Type Squadron | Country United States Part of USAF Weapons School | |
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Branch United States Air Force Role Advanced Tactical Fighter Training | ||
The 16th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
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The 16th began as the 16th Pursuit Squadron on 20 November 1940. During World War II, the 16th Pursuit Squadron flew missions in New Guinea, India, and China in the P-40, P-47, and P-51. During the Korean War, the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron flew missions from Korea and Japan in the F-80 and F-86. After the Korean War, the 16th was stationed in Japan, Florida, Norway, Turkey, Korea, and Utah, flying missions in the F-106 and F-4 Phantom II aircraft.
In January 1979, the 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron became the USAF's first F-16A/B operational squadron.
World War II
Activated at Hamilton Field, California in 1941 as a P-40 Pursuit Squadron to defend the West Coast. Deployed to the CBI in March 1942, initially arriving at Karachi, India moving via Australia and Ceylon. It was assigned to Tenth Air Force. The squadron defended the Indian terminus of the "Hump" airlift route over the Himalaya Mountains between India and China and airfields in that area, operating from the Assam Valley of northeast India. The squadron flew strafing, bombing, reconnaissance, and patrol missions in support of Allied ground troops during a Japanese offensive in northern Burma in 1943.
Moved to southeast China in October 1943, being assigned to Fourteenth Air Force. The squadron defended the Chinese end of the Hump route and air bases in the Kunming area. Attacked Japanese shipping in the Red River delta of Indochina and supported Chinese ground forces in their late 1944 drive along the Salween River. Was reequipped with North American P-51D Mustangs in 1945 to defend the eastern end of the route over the Hump, and to guard air bases in the Kunming area.
They returned to India in the fall of 1945 and sailed for the United States in November. Inactivated on 13 December 1945.
Cold War
Reactivated at Yontan Air Base Okinawa in 1946 and moved to Naha AB when Yontan closed in 1947. The squadron was assigned to the Twentieth Air Force, 301st Fighter Wing. Pilots engaged in combat operations in Korean War, 1950–1953, returned to Naha Air Base to resume air defense coverage of the Ryukyu Islands in 1954.
From August 1958 to January 1959, deployed to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taiwan to fly combat air support missions for Nationalist Chinese forces after mainland Communist Chinese forces shelled the Nationalist-held islands of Quemoy and Matsu.
In the early 1960s, the Air Force was implementing Project Clearwater, an initiative to withdraw Convair F-102 Delta Daggers from overseas bases in order to reduce "gold flow" (negative foreign currency transactions). By 1963, part of Clearwater called for the 16th to move to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, permitting the McDonnell F-101 Voodoos of the 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron stationed there to be distributed to other Air Defense Command squadrons. However, the Gulf of Tonkin incident intervened and the 16th was kept in the Pacific to maintain an air defense capability there. It deployed F-102s to the Philippines and South Vietnam from August to October 1964 for air defense against possible Communist North Vietnamese air attacks.
Returned to the United States, activating at Eglin AFB, Florida. Became combat ready in the F-4 aircraft in December 1965 with a program of tactical training operations to maintain proficiency. Participated in numerous airpower demonstrations, provided close air support of Army troops during tactical exercises, and prepared for overseas deployments.
From December 1966 to mid -1967 performed F-4 replacement training. Through deployment of combat-ready tactical components, with personnel and equipment transferred to Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) units upon arrival, the squadron provided fresh aircraft and aircrews for the forces in Southeast Asia, twice relinquished all its resources for combat in SEA and remanned in October 1967 and April 1969. Deployed to South Korea, and assumed alert status at Kunsan and Osan ABs June–September 1970, providing air defense, participating in exercises, and maintaining combat readiness.
Reassigned to Hill AFB, Utah, and received first production F-16A Fighting Falcon aircraft to be delivered to an operational squadron on 6 January 1979. Many of the early F-16 pilots went through the 16th TFTS, as it was the first RTU for the F-16 and acted as a worldwide RTU, training over 240 pilots in the F-16.
In April 1983 the unit became the 16th TFS but still kept its training role, although not for beginner pilots but for higher levels of combat training. It was only fitting that as the world's first F-16 squadron that the 16th TFS received the 1,000th F-16 to come off the General Dynamics assembly line on 22 July 1983. During the three years of operational tasking the squadron continued to train and upgrade its pilots to combat ready status and to maintain the capability to deploy worldwide on short notice and employ the F-16 in the conventional air-to-air and air-to-ground combat roles. The unit became inactivated on 30 June 1986.
Modern era
Initially there was an F-16 division within what was called the Fighter Weapons School that was created in 1982 and produced its first graduating class. The purpose of the school was to train aircrew in a most realistic combat environment.
Reactivated on 3 February 2003 as the 16th Weapons Squadron. The squadron is composed of block 42 and 52's. Only a few days before on 24 January 2003 the squadron officially was redesignated the 16th Weapons Squadron while working towards activation at Nellis AFB, Nevada.