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Alabama F-16 hits 8,000 flying hours

By Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards, 407th Air Expeditionary Group / Published October 31, 2017

A crewmember guides an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot into an overhang at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. After the mission, this F-16 accomplished 8,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)
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A crewmember guides an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot into an overhang at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. After the mission, this F-16 accomplished 8,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)

An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot fills out his post flight paperwork at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. The F-16 reached a milestone of 8,000 flying hours, during the night. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)
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An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot fills out his post flight paperwork at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. The F-16 reached a milestone of 8,000 flying hours, during the night. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)

An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot exits his aircraft at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. After the pilot returned from a seven-hour mission, the F-16 reached a total of 8,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)
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An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot exits his aircraft at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. After the pilot returned from a seven-hour mission, the F-16 reached a total of 8,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)

Crewmembers perform a post flight check on an F-16 Fighting Falcon at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. Various crew members and pilots have helped this F-16 reach 8,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)
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Crewmembers perform a post flight check on an F-16 Fighting Falcon at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia Oct. 29. Various crew members and pilots have helped this F-16 reach 8,000 flying hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Edwards/Released)

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SOUTHWEST ASIA -- An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 100th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron reached a total of 8,000 flying hours in Southwest Asia Oct. 29.

“The F-16 initially I believe was only designed for 3 or 4,000 hours and they did some life extension programs on it,” said a captain assigned to the 100th EFS as a pilot. “To achieve 8,000 hours on an aircraft that was not designed to do that is a big deal.”

The 100th EFS and the F-16s are deployed to the 407th Air Expeditionary Group to support Operation Inherent Resolve.

“With the F-16s we provide close air support for our brothers and sisters on the ground,” said Senior Airman Seth Morgan, 100th EFS crew chief. “Being here with everything going on, the F-16s are mission critical.”