Your Tax Dollars At Work, Part II

I caught these two F-16Ds, 9822 and 9823, on a test flight at NAS Ft. Worth on 1/11/13.  Both of them are now wearing US Star and Bar markings, the Egyptian markings that were previously carried have been painted out.

You might think that this change of markings would indicate that our government was rethinking delivery of these state of the art F-16s (plus 18 others) to an Egyptian government that is not exactly a friend.  No ... quite the contrary.  Combat aircraft that are delivered from US manufacturers to foreign governments have US markings applied just before their delivery flights, to avoid political issues arising from the countries that the aircraft stop in for refueling/rest.  In addition, these two were carrying a full load of external tanks, indicating they were running fuel feed checks - again, something done just before delivery.  I would guess that these two will be on their way to Cairo within a few days.  Absolute lunacy ...

These 20 aircraft would make a great addition to our Air Force ... or the Air National Guard.  This is a full squadron's worth of the latest F-16s - superior to any currently flying in US service.  Failing that, they could be diverted to a country that is actually an ally of ours - Israel ... Singapore ... South Korea ... Japan ... Since the American tax payers funded every dollar spent on them, we should be able to do with them what we want.  Instead, the Obama Administration will go ahead and deliver all of them to the Muslim Brotherhood - where they will expand the spear that is pointed across Sinai at our true ally.  Stupid ...

Update - Four of these F-16s departed NAS Ft. Worth on their delivery flights to Cairo before dawn on Jan. 22.

Update II - Internet reports state that the four ship delivery included these two F-16Ds, along with F-16C 9753 and F-16D 9824.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

I shot this rather nice view of an F-16D on a pre-delivery acceptance test flight at Lockheed-Martin, over in Ft. Worth, a couple of weeks ago.  This aircraft, s/n 9822, is destined for the Egyptian Air Force, and is one of 20 new build F-16Cs and Ds that are currently being manufactured/delivered.

Guess what?  You're paying for them.

You've probably heard about that 3 billion or so in annual military aid that the US is supplying Egypt?  Well, these highly advanced aircraft are part of that aid package.  Your tax dollars, not the Egyptian government, are paying for them.

The contract for these aicraft was made in 2009, under the previous, pro-US, regime.  When the unrest hit that country, our government and the Pentagon fought to keep the military aid package intact and on schedule, in order to keep the Egyptian Generals friendly to us.  Well, guess what?  The Generals' power has pretty much been neutered.  We are delivering state of the art aircraft and other weapons systems to a nation whose government is now controlled by radicals of the Mulsim Brotherhood.  Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me ...

I think it would have been prudent to put a HOLD on deliveries of this type of equipment, to see how things ultimately shake out in Egypt.  As it is, we probably are giving a shit pile of military goodies to folks who don't think very highly of us (or our ally Israel).  One more VERY questionable decision by the Obama Administration ...

Update, Dec. 11 - the mainstream media has finally gotten wind of this, and public outrage is building.  Problem is that almost all of the 20 planes in the order have already been delivered!

F-16 Lawn Mower

How not to land a F-16 ...

F-16C 87-0296 of the 160FS, 187FW, Alabama Air Guard had a small problem on the morning of July 28, while landing at the annual EAA airshow in Oshkosh. The aircraft ran off the runway, and did its best earth mover imitation. No word on the cause, but examination of the photos leads me to believe he had brake failure, and swerved off the pavement to keep from hitting his fellow AL aviators, who had landed ahead of him.

The pilot was uninjured, except for his pride.

Photos credit Brian Leach, who was in the right place at the right time!

37th Anniversary of F-16 First Flight

February 2nd marks the 37th anniversary of the first official flight of the F-16.

YF-16 72-1567 lifted off from Edwards AFB on Feb. 2, 1974, signifying the beginning step of one of the most successful fighter aircraft ever built.

(In actuality, the first 'unofficial' flight took place on January 20, 1974, when the aircraft accidently took off during a high speed taxi run.)

Happy Birthday to the Viper!