Detachment Dry Run

F-16s from the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Ariz., deployed for a week to Holloman AFB, N.M., to test Holloman’s ability to support the F-16 formal training unit that is relocating there from Luke. “The F-16s will eventually be based here, training both pilots and maintainers,” explained Col. Rodney Petithomme, commander of the 56th FW’s Operation Location-Alpha detachment. “This training gives us the opportunity to find problems now and gives us time to fix them before they arrive permanently,” he added in Holloman’s Dec. 13 release. Luke’s 309th Fighter Squadron sent 18 F-16s and 190 personnel to Holloman for this evaluation. The F-16s were scheduled to fly an average of 24 sorties each day—both instructor upgrade and weapons qualification flights—during their one-week stay, which began on Dec. 7, according to the release. The Air Force is shifting two F-16 training squadrons from Luke to offset Holloman’s forthcoming loss of the F-22 flying mission. (Holloman report by SrA. DeAndre Curtiss)