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.