Arctic Scheme F-16 For Alaska
The New 18th AGS Gets Exotic Vipers for Red Flag Alaska
The newly formed 18th Aggressor Squadron has gotten arctic schemed aircraft in the first time in the USAF's history for its 'bad-guy' F-16 fighters to be used in Red Flag
On July 30, 2006 the United States Air Force activated the 18th Aggressor Squadron (18th AGRS) at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It was formed from the bones of the old and recently deactivated 18th Fighter Squadron (18th FS). The Blue Fox crushing an F-15 is the squadron's symbol. The mission of the new squadron is that of aggressor training, serving as a 'bad-guy' threat for visiting aircraft in Red Flag exercises. The Red Flag-Alaska program is based on the successful Red Flag program at Nellis AFB used to train American and allied fighter pilots since 1975. One improvement over the Nellis program is that the Alaska unit has some 67,000 square miles (43 million acres) of playground to use in the Pacific Alaska Range Complex, an area over five times the size of Nellis. This exercise evolved from the Cope Thunder exercises that had been a part of the Alaskan Air Command since 1991.
The 18th AGRS was given 18 Block 30 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 35th and 80th Tactical Fighter Squadrons at Kunsan Air Base in Korea. The Block 30 F-16s were replaced by newer all-day/all-weather strike variant F-16CG (Block 40) models equipped with the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LATRIN) system to find targets at night or in bad weather. The Block 30s are some of the oldest F-16s left in the active air force, as most active F-16 units fly newer models. Interestingly enough the other main active user of the Block 30 F-16 is the United States Navy that uses them in their Navy Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) 'Topgun" program. The Navy's F-16s are often painted in exotic schemes that get lots of photographic attention over the past twenty years. These planes do not carry these schemes to be funny or even to represent specific countries, and are only so that you have no doubt in a visual engagement that you are not facing a friendly aircraft.
The 18th AGRS will follow the trend by having its craft painted in a new and radical "Arctic" paint scheme. The unique white, grey and black scheme was used for the first time in December 2007 when the shop at Kusan Airbase began repainting their former Block 30 F-16s in preparation to send them to their new home at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The ships are being refitted in the Falcon Star program of structural modifications to extend their life at the same time. Col. Eddie Osteen, 354th Operations Group deputy commander stated that "They (colors) are merely a way to quickly identify the aggressor aircraft when within visual range. The variety of paint schemes will make it more challenging to visually acquire the aggressor aircraft depending on the background, be it sky or earth."
USAF Red Flag Alaska Fact Sheet
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
