The 524th Fighter Squadron recently became the second F-16 unit to cease operations at Cannon AFB, N.M., where the 27th Fighter Wing is transforming from a Viper wing into a special operations wing next month. The 27th FW inactivated the 523rd FS in May. The wing’s third operations unit, the 522nd FS, will be last to shut down; it took one more Air Expeditionary Force rotation, deploying to Andersen AFB, Guam, in late May for four months.
The Air Force wants more companies able to produce its new, multi-use, anti-radar missile that one expert says will prove vital in any future peer conflict and would be in high demand for the war in Iran if stocks were available now.