20th

deployed six F-16 aircraft and 140 pilots and maintainers to Iron Falcon. The squadron flew 143 sorties, day and
night, for a total of 299 flying hours during the 24 day exercise.
The Falcon Air Meet is a three week training exercise in Jordan where F-16s from all over the world come
to compete in air-to-air and air-to-ground events. In May 2007 the 55th Fighter Squadron deployed to Jordan
to participate as well as participants from Belgium and Turkey. Over 13 countries observed in 2007 for future
participation as the air meet continues to grow.
The 20th also routinely deploys to Red Flag and Maple Flag (Canadian version of Red Flag) and other exercises
too numerous and frequent to cover on these pages. But let it be clear the 20th continues to take every opportunity
to hone its fighting edge to maintain its well earned position in today’s Air Force.
Putting Training to Work
In September 1994 the 20th FW provided fighter cover for US operations in Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy.
This operation restored democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide who had been ousted
in September 1991 by military forces within Haiti. The 20th FW’s support of this type of mission is typical of the
tasking the 20th FW has been supporting since returning to CONUS in 1994. In the following paragraphs are
more examples of the 20th FW’s missions.
Operation Northern and Southern Watch
Throughout the 1990s the 20th FW routinely rotated
squadrons to enforce the no-fly zones over Iraq. Southern
Watch began in August 1992 and ended with the invasion
of Iraq in 2003. 20th FW squadrons rotated in and
out of the Middle East to support enforcement of the no-fly
zone.
77th & 78th FS F-16s on patrol Apr. 7, 1998 near the Iraqi
border as part of Operation Southern Watch. They are carying
Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night
(LATNTIRN) systems and are fitted with AIM-9 Sidewinder,
AGM-88 Harm (mid-wing) and AIM-120 AMRAAM Slammer
missles on the wing tips.
USAF Photo
55th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (EFS) F-16 preparing
for its final mission of Northern Watch from Incirlik AB, Turkey
on Apr. 12, 2003. For 12 years the 20th FW had been rotating
squadrons to Turkey in support of Northern Watch. With the
success of Operation Iraqi Freedom the patrols enforcing the
No-Fly Zone were no longer needed.
USAF Photo
The 20th FW routinely sent squadrons to Incirlik Air Base,
Turkey supporting the no-fly zone in northern Iraq between
January 1997 and March 2003. The 55th FS under
the command of Lt Col Jack Forsythe left Turkey on
Apr. 7, 2003 bringing to a close six and one half years of
20 FW squadron rotations to Turkey.
20th Fighter Wing History --- Page Number 36.