F-16s based at Aviano AB, Italy, are now serviced on-base at a quarter of what it formerly cost thanks to the installation’s new corrosion-control facility, according to a base release. The 31st Fighter Wing used to have to ship its F-16s to Germany or Belgium for repainting, costing an estimated $108,000 each time, states the Aug. 15 release. Now, Aviano maintainers can paint, polish, and restore the fighters at home with the facility, which opened last October. “This new facility allows us to perform a complete repaint of the aircraft and get it back in the air in a fraction of the time,” said MSgt. Jeremy Fisk, 31st Maintenance Squadron aircraft maintenance section chief. It takes eight days for maintenance crews to repaint an F-16, according to the release. The facility includes a sanding bay, vacuum systems, and air filtration. (Aviano report by SrA. Jessica Hines)
Sticker Shock Drags Out USAF’s E-7 Negotiations with Boeing
April 18, 2024
While a deal on the E-7 Wedgetail airborne battle management jet may come soon, negotiations are stuck on the high price Boeing is asking for the development jets, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said recently.