Despite a rise in F-16 crashes this past fiscal year, the commander of the Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Fighter Wing, Col. Mike McDonald, believes the F-16 has “an excellent safety record given the demanding missions in which it is flown every day.” In an interview with the Great Falls Tribune, McDonald called the sleek fighter the Air Force’s “workhorse.” The Montana Air Guard has flown Vipers, in various models, since 1987. Under BRAC 2005, the unit must switch its F-16s for F-15s.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
