Scheduled Spangdahlem F16 reduction

[Rene Peteri]

and to go back to topic, following info:

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — The 480th Fighter Squadron will soon be flying again in the skies over Europe.
Faced with the loss of nearly one-half its F-16s due to Air Force cost-saving measures, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, plans to inactivate the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons and create a single, larger squadron, according to 2nd Lt. Kathleen Polesnak, a 52nd Fighter Wing spokeswoman.
That squadron will be the 480th — dubbed the Warhawks — whose exploits in Europe date back to World War I.
The 81st Fighter Squadron, which flies A-10s, will also remain on base. In all, 18 of the base’s 42 F-16s will depart.
The first F-16s are set to leave April 15, with the remainder likely gone by the end of May, Polesnak said.
The move is part of an Air Force initiative announced last May in which the service plans to retire 250 fighters around the globe and save $3.5 billion over the next six years. The plan is supposed to free up more money to purchase next-generation fighter jets: the F-22 and F-35.
Retiring 134 F-16s, 112 F-15s and a handful of A-10s would also allow the service to stand up another B-52 bomber wing and upgrade remaining fighters with newer technology. About 4,000 airmen around the globe are expected to be affected by the moves.
Polesnak said about 500 airmen at Spangdahlem would be shifted to other units on base or head to other bases. The base population isn’t expected to shrink much, because other airmen would be brought in to fill vacant positions in various organizations, she said.
The F-16s leaving Spangdahlem will join the 148th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Duluth, Minn. Jets that are currently based there are older and will be retired.
Five F-15Cs based at RAF Lakenheath, England, are headed to Montana as part of the Air Force plan. Capt. Alysia Harvey said two were set to leave Wednesday, with the others departing in May.

[Maurizio]

Have seen this article on several forums, but why is it titled "Aviano Air Base, Italy"??

[Oscar01]

I think article was written in Aviano or so? Or news agency from Aviano?

By the way, today saw another F-16 returning from Greece via Aviano to SP.

Oz

[Maurizio]

That's right, 90-0831 arrived at Aviano Tuesday 30th but went u/s and finally departed today.

[Tigerspoon]

anything new for tomorrow?!

[Supervisor]

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[Tigerspoon]

anything new? haven't heard anything for days..............

[andel]

Now seen at SBS above The Netherlands RETRO71 flight at 26.000 feet.
I bet these are the six Falcons departing for CONUS ?.
Unknown Hexcode,s !.

[Oscar01]

Hi,

Retro71-76 flight indeed are leaving SP for next unit. Last wednesday already 6 left as well....

Oz

[andel]

Some listeners in the UK had heard A/A tanker <> F-16
And tail-numbers where rattled quickly but this was caught
421
339
45?
409
414

Thanks to Snafu at FC

http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/v ... ead#unread" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Supervisor]

Hi,

Retro71-76 flight indeed are leaving SP for next unit. Last wednesday already 6 left as well....

Oz

That was Thuesday Oscar!

[Supervisor]

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