Hill AFB marks 30 years with the F-16

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — The first F-16 touched down at Hill 30 years ago, signifying the beginning of what has been a historic relationship between the base and fighter jet.

On Jan. 6, 1979, the 388th Fighter Wing started its conversion to the F-16A Fighting Falcon, making it the first fully operational F-16 Fighter Wing in the entire Air Force.

In March 1981, the wing conducted its first overseas deployment to Norway.

On Jan. 28, 1984, five years after the 388th received its first F-16, the 419th Fighter Wing accepted the Air Force Reserve's first Fighting Falcon.

"We (Hill) have a history of firsts," 419th spokesman Bryan Magana said of the two wing's 30th and 25th anniversaries with the F-16.

Today, the 388th has 110 pilots, while its reserve counterpart, the 419th, has 27. The men and women who fly the jet say it's come a long way in 30 years. Evolution in technology has given pilots new capabilities that once existed only in the movies.

Those capabilities came about largely through a $2 billion-plus Air Force F-16 upgrade program called the Common Configuration Implementation Program.

The program, which the Air Force began in September 2001, provides enhanced mission capabilities and a common avionics configuration to about 650 Block 40, 42, 50 and 52 Air Force and Air National Guard F-16s.

The upgrade provided structural and electrical software enhancements for the jet.

A new display in their helmet visor allows pilots to select a target without changing the jet's direction as sensors follow the pilot's head to the target and displays targeting information over their eyes as they launch.

The CCIP upgrade also included the "Link 16" system, which, among other things, helps pilots keep formation at night, when visibility is low and other planes are occupying airspace.

"It does seem pretty futuristic," said Lt. Col. Jack Sine, a pilot with the 388th. "It's worth the money we invested."

One Hill pilot said even with all the upgrades since its inception, the jet still flies the same, comparing it to a slightly altered ride at an amusement park.

"The advance in weapons have changed the way we fly in combat," said Lt. Col. Mike Brill, a full-time reservist with the 419th. "(But) the airplane flies the same it always has — imagine being on a roller coaster that you can actually steer."