U.S. Air Force to form F-16 'super squadron' at Osan Air Base

The U.S. 7th Air Force will establish a second “super squadron” of 31 F-16 fighter jets this October at Osan Air Base, expanding a pilot program aimed at consolidating aircraft and personnel to enhance combat readiness.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet lands after completing a flight during the Korea-U.S. Freedom Flag combined air drill at Gwangju Air Base in Gwangsan District, Gwangju, on April 18. [YONHAP]

The U.S. 7th Air Force will establish a second “super squadron” of 31 F-16 fighter jets this October at Osan Air Base, expanding a pilot program aimed at consolidating aircraft and personnel to enhance combat readiness.

According to the 7th Air Force on Friday, it received approval from the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff to launch the second phase of its super squadron trial program, the command said in a press release.

The unit will temporarily relocate approximately 1,000 personnel and F-16 aircraft from Kunsan Air Base northward to Osan over the summer.

“The relocation is temporary and intended to optimize combat capability and maximize operational efficiency,” the statement said.

This follows the creation of the first super squadron last July, when the 7th Air Force moved nine F-16s from Kunsan’s 8th Fighter Wing to the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan, forming a 31-aircraft unit for a yearlong pilot program.

Once the second super squadron is established, Osan will house a total of 62 F-16s. A 7th Air Force official noted that this will leave Kunsan with few, if any, F-16s. However, Kunsan will continue to serve as a key site for U.S. Air Force training and rotational deployments, the official said.

The super squadron pilot aims to evaluate whether consolidating aircraft and personnel into larger units can boost combat power and operational capabilities.

“The Air Force Chief of Staff’s decision to extend and expand the trial came after analyzing the results of the first phase, which began in October,” the 7th Air Force said.

"The past months of data reveal that we’re on the right track and the consolidated, larger unit has shown some increases in readiness and combat capability, while also exposing some challenges," Lt. Gen. David Iverson, commander of the 7th Air Force, said through the press release.

"With this success, we're now expanding the scope […] to further determine if the super squadron construct is the right path for future airpower generation here in Korea," he added.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY JEONG JAE-HONG [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]