Airmen, family, and friends of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s 119th Fighter Wing said goodbye to the unit’s last four F-16 fighters Jan. 16—a day the state had declared “Happy Hooligans Day” in honor of the unit and its 60th anniversary. The Hooligans have flown F-16s since 1990 but date their history to 1947 when they flew F-51s. Now, the redesignated 119th Wing will fly Predator unmanned aerial vehicles and C-21 executive jets. The wing received its first C-21 just last week.
The U.S. has approved a $310.5 million Foreign Military Sale to provide Ukraine with maintenance and training for its F-16 fighter jets, the State Department announced May 2. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force has been sending retired F-16s to Ukraine to be used for spare parts.