U
S Air Forces in Europe has dispatched 18 F-16s and some 300 airmen from Aviano AB, Italy, to Kunsan AB, South Korea, for a 120-day deployment, during which the 555th Fighter Squadron airmen will train with the 8th Fighter Wing and South Korean air elements. SSgt. Alice Moore reports the deployment marks the first for USAFE assets to the Pacific region for an air expeditionary force rotation.
Numbers Game Squeezes USAF Fighter Force
Dec. 15, 2025
Congress set the legal floor for how many primary mission aircraft the Air Force had to have in its fighter force in 2018, requiring at least 1,145 fighters through Oct. 1, 2026. In each of the past past two legislative cycles, lawmakers agreed to reduce the number. But when the House passed…
