The Air National Guard’s 183rd Fighter Wing, Springfield, Ill., loses it F-16 fighters under BRAC 2005, and, like other states that got BRACed, it wants to line up a new mission. Illinois has one advantage over many other states because BRAC made the Springfield facility the site of a new Centralized Engine Repair Facility for F-16 engines. Still, Col. Michael Meyer, the 183rd’s commanding officer, told the State Journal-Register that possible missions include operating Predator UAVs (we’ve heard this before), training foreign pilots, trading their F-16s for F-15s (that would be sour news to reserve units giving up their F-15s under BRAC), or building bombs.
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.