The arrival of the F-16s marked a major step ahead in modernizing the 51st Fighter Wing plane and strengthening the U.S. Air Power’s regional fight readiness.
The 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base, South Korea, not too long ago obtained upgraded F-16 Preventing Falcons transferred from the thirty fifth Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The arrival of the F-16s on June 26-27, 2025, “marked a major step ahead in modernizing the 51st Fighter Wing plane and strengthening the U.S. Air Power’s regional fight readiness,” stated the U.S. Air Power in a press launch.
The service defined that “the F-16s obtained a sequence of avionics system upgrades, bringing them nearer to fifth-generation capabilities.” It is a reference to the plane being upgraded by means of the Publish Block Integration Workforce (PoBIT) mission, which goals to have Block 40 and Block 50 plane, the so-called “Publish Block” F-16s, fly nicely into the 2040s.
These enhancements enhance each survivability and fight effectiveness accuracy of the weapon system, added the press launch. Actually, F-16s upgraded trough PoBIT have new radar, computer systems and digital warfare methods.
“F-16s are one of many solely multi-role fighters,” stated U.S. Air Power Capt. Alexandra Sears, twenty fifth Fighter Technology Squadron director of operations. “They will do all the pieces. They’re extremely light-weight and fast, and whenever you improve the F-16s, they’re in a position to take action many missions, corresponding to offering shut air help just like the A-10 or suppressing enemy air protection missions.”
Modernization at Osan
Osan Air Base is one among two main U.S. Air Power installations in South Korea, the opposite being Kunsan Air Base. The bottom is roughly 40 miles south of Seoul, the capital metropolis of South Korea, and 48 miles south of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The bottom is presently on the middle of the U.S. Air Power’s modernization technique within the nation, following a modernization plan introduced by the Division of Protection on July 3, 2024. The service talked about the brand new technique bolsters deterrence towards North Korea and reaffirms the ironclad U.S. safety dedication to the South Korea-U.S. alliance by strengthening South Korean and U.S. mixed protection.
Beginning in January 2025, the twenty fifth Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base began a phased withdrawal of its 24 A-10 plane, with completion anticipated by the top of fiscal yr 2025. A number of ferry flights of A-10s have been not too long ago reported on-line by flight trackers.
Alternatively, the twenty fifth FS sister unit, the thirty sixth FS, is presently a part of what initially was a year-long check to optimize fight functionality and coaching effectiveness with a bigger variety of F-16 plane assigned to the “Tremendous Squadron”. The unit obtained in 2024 9 F-16s from Kunsan Air Base, bringing the overall of its plane from 22 to 31 F-16s.
In April 2025, the Seventh Air Power, which oversees U.S. air operations in Korea and within the Northwest Pacific, has obtained the approval to increase the “Tremendous Squadron” check for a second section. This new section, which is able to construct on the outcomes of the information analyzed in the course of the ongoing first section, will start in October 2025 and can see 31 extra F-16s and roughly 1,000 Airmen transfer to Osan AB from Kunsan AB to ascertain the second squadron.
Misawa’s F-16s
In December 2024, it was revealed that the thirty fifth Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan, would obtain the primary F-35 in 2026. This adopted the sooner announcement in July 2024 that Misawa would exchange its F-16CM Block 50 with new F-35As as a part of the continuing modernization.
It now seems that a number of the F-16s at the moment are being transferred to Osan and can proceed to fly alongside the bottom’s Block 40s. The photographs present not less than two F-16s assigned to the thirteenth Fighter Squadron arriving at Osan, piloted by Col. Paul Davidson, thirty fifth Fighter Wing commander, and Col. Matt Kenkel, thirty fifth Fighter Wing deputy commander, who additionally signed switch paperwork as soon as at vacation spot.
“At Osan, the upgraded F-16s deliver unparalleled multi-role versatility and superior operational vary,” says the Air Power. “These capabilities instantly help the 51st Fighter Wing’s potential to make sure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
Given the shut proximity to the DMZ, the service defined that, “because the U.S. Air Power’s most ahead deployed, permanently-based wing, the 51st FW performs a important function in sustaining regional safety.” The “new” plane will give the items elevated capabilities with out having to attend for a prolonged conversion to a different plane.
“These upgrades improve our recreation a bit,” stated Chief Grasp Sgt. Robert Parsons, twenty fifth FGS senior enlisted chief. “The F-16’s new options give pilots better spatial consciousness, serving to them see the battlefield extra clearly. As we transfer nearer to 2027, having a succesful plane now, as an alternative of ready for a brand new airframe, is important. The F-16 already has a longtime help system in place for provide, personnel, tools, and coaching. With these upgrades, we now have the plane we’d like, prepared and out there in the present day.”
Whereas not explicitly acknowledged within the press launch, the mentions of the twenty fifth FGS and the statements from the unit’s personnel would indicate that the F-16s will probably be assigned to the twenty fifth Fighter Squadron to exchange the A-10Cs. We reached out to the U.S. Air Power for affirmation however, on the time of writing, haven’t but obtained a response.
Upgraded Vipers in Korea
The eighth FW at Kunsan Air Base obtained in 2023 its first upgraded F-16, because the plane is predicted to fly nicely into the 2040s. A complete of 608 Block 40 and Block 50 plane, the so-called “Publish Block” F-16s, will probably be upgraded by means of the Publish Block Integration Workforce (PoBIT) mission managed by the Air Power Life Cycle Administration Heart’s Fighters and Superior Plane Directorate.
The mission consists of as much as 22 modifications designed to enhance lethality and make sure the fourth-generation fighter stays efficient in assembly present and future threats. Launched in 2022, the PoBIT upgrades are being carried out at the side of the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) which is able to prolong the airframes’ fatigue life from 8,000 to 12,000 hours.
The SLEP will exchange structural bulkheads and longerons, modify wing and wing-box assemblies, set up new structural brackets and beam helps and reskin the higher fuselage. The depot work for the complete course of takes as much as 9 months for every Viper and is being carried out at a number of places each in america and in Europe.
The primary function of the PoBIT improve is the set up of the APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) with Energetic Electronically Scanned Array and the Heart Show Unit (CDU), expertise that finally provides the F-16 and its pilot a clearer imaginative and prescient of the menace image to improve each the survivability and accuracy of the weapon system. The up to date F-16 radar methods permit pilots to make use of Artificial Aperture Radar mapping to detect and deploy weapons towards air-to-air and air-to-ground threats at for much longer ranges.
The CDU replaces the devices situated on the middle pedestal with a 6 by 8 inches multi-function excessive decision shade show and permits not solely to take full benefit of the brand new radar and upgraded focusing on pods, but in addition to cut back the pilot’s workload and improve security and effectivity. As a part of PoBIT, the Northrop Grumman AN/ALQ-257 Built-in Viper Digital Warfare Suite is changing the legacy digital warfare methods, offering a subsequent technology EW system that’s inside to the F-16 and totally interoperable with the brand new on-board APG-83 radar.
Different upgrades embody Hyperlink 16, modernizing the cockpit and essential mission laptop, and changing the fleet to a high-speed information community, in addition to next-generation digital warfare functionality, a Communication Suite Improve, a Programmable Information Generator and a number of other different key {hardware} elements. PoBIT upgrades for the F-16 fleet are being carried out in numerous phases to supply the plane the required updates whereas making certain operational necessities can nonetheless be met.
