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With the announcement by Air Force officials that Luke Air Force Base was selected as the preferred alternative for F-35 Lightning II training came another announcement, the move of two F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons to Holloman AFB, New Mexico.

Twenty-nine of the wing's dedicated crew chiefs were each assigned an F-16 Fighting Falcon during a ceremony today, recognizing them as the maintenance experts on their respective aircraft assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron.

They turn the wrenches, load the munitions and coordinate all the moving pieces to get jets into the air. Day after day, they work hard on the ground to launch aircraft and recover them when they land, all the while never getting to see action in the skies.

In a symbolic and historical event, the Pakistan air force flew six F-16Bs and 100 aircrew, maintenance and support personnel over 7,700 miles from Pakistan to participate in their first Red Flag and Green Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. in mid-July.

The government of Oman plans to invest $3.5 billion to upgrade its 12 F-16 Block 50/52 fighters and to buy an additional 18, as well as an extended weapons package.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a monument of technical precision, finesse and power. The roar of its afterburner draws hundreds of thousands of people to air shows throughout the world each year.

It took six days and four stops for six Pakistan Air Force pilots to fly six F-16Bs over 7,700 miles from Mushaf Air Base in northern Pakistan to Las Vegas to fly and train in Red Flag 10-4 and Green Flag 10-9 exercises at Nellis AFB.

Flying at more than 1,200 mph, F-16 pilots rely on Avionics to keep their jets going. The Avionics Intermediate Sections is responsible for the maintenance on all avionic components of Aviano's Fighting Falcons.

Although the F-16 has been exported worldwide for 35 years now it can only be refueled in air by the handful of air forces that fly boom-equipped tankers.

Maintainers are towing F-16 Fighting Falcons out of retirement from the "boneyard" on July 29 and preparing them to become the Air Force's newest platform for target training.

The Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force announced today the transition of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. to the F-16 training mission. The Air Force determined that Holloman has the capacity to accept two F-16 training squadrons.

Five members of the Uruguay air force visited July 26-28 and received briefings and orientation flights with the 93rd Fighter Squadron.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon has been a part of the USAF for more than 30 years now and has continued to provide support to the nation since then, but while its mission is to provide multi-role support for the United States and allied nations, its mission varies from each of its locations.

For 15 years, Capt. Ryan Riley, 35th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, has been living his childhood dreams of aviation, one step at a time.

As he flies a combat air patrol over the cities of Medina Wasl and Medina Jabal, Capt. James Russell pushes up the throttle on his F-16.