7th Air Force is forming a second “Super Squadron” of 31 F-16 Fighting Falcons at Osan Air Base its largest installation in South Korea and the one closest to the North Korean border The shift will draw down resources at Kunsan Air Base no forces will be assigned to the two fighter squadrons there The Air Force began evaluating the concept of a super squadron — which includes one-third more aircraft than standard units — last summer to determine whether it could generate more sorties with fewer resources nine aircraft and 150 airmen from Kunsan arrived at Osan to establish the first 31-jet squadron additional F-16s and roughly 1,000 more airmen will begin the process of relocating from Kunsan to Osan to form the second squadron Assignment notifications will begin in the next couple of weeks and all aircraft and personnel will be in place by October While 7th Air Force described the movement of personnel and aircraft as a temporary measure in an April 24 news release “This Super Squadron effort demonstrates our steadfast focus on readiness and combat capability to achieve U.S national security objectives,” 7th Air Force commander Lt Iverson said the first consolidated unit at Osan has already improved readiness and combat performance although it has revealed some operational challenges “With this success we’re now expanding the scope,” he added While consolidation may enhance peacetime efficiency big bases like Osan could become vulnerable targets in the event of a conflict former president of the Pacific Forum think tank in Hawaii “Presumably there are also dispersal plans in the event of increased tensions; if not The new squadrons will optimize combat power at bases in South Korea but that doesn’t preclude repositioning forces if needed a former deputy commander of what is now called Indo-Pacific Command “The ‘super squadrons’ will get the most capability out of available aircraft and facilities,” he said by email Thursday Kunsan’s 80th and 35th Fighter Squadrons are sending their aircraft to Osan the 8th Fighter Wing will continue operating Kunsan as a rotational and exercise base The base will maintain flightline operations war reserve materials and munitions stockpiles at multiple locations across South Korea “We acknowledge this is a major shift in how we operate here at Kunsan,” 8th Fighter Wing commander Col “We’ll meet this change with the same warfighter mindset the Wolf Pack has maintained through our history and strengthen our ability to accept follow-on forces defend the base and take the fight north.” This work, Building Futures: Osan’s new CDC officially opens, by SrA Sarah Williams, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page 51st Security Forces Squadron facility manager His role supports operational readiness by ensuring all facilities meet safety and mission standards Read now > Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan This work, Planning Osan’s future infrastructure, by SSgt Kahdija Slaughter, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Get your daily fix of Air & Space Force news delivered right to your inbox every day There's no more reliable source for news about your Air & Space Forces Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association Osan Air Base is the Warthog’s last location overseas, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine meaning the aircraft’s removal will mark the end of its run abroad There are currently 24 A-10 aircraft stationed at Osan Air Base and they are all slated for withdrawal by the end of fiscal 2025 “By introducing advanced fourth and fifth-generation aircraft like our upgraded (F-16 Fighting Falcons) along with (F-35 Lightning IIs) and (F-15EX Eagle IIs) in the Pacific region we are significantly enhancing our overall air combat capabilities in the Korean theater,” said Lt Often associated with the cartoonish teeth that are sometimes painted on its nose cone The push to modernize the aircraft fleet is part of a broader effort to maintain stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region The upgrade to newer aircraft is intended to reinforce defense capabilities against North Korea and showcase continued support for South Korea Seventh Air Force F-16s are also getting upgrades to their avionics systems and their weapon systems “The advancement of our F-16 upgrades and innovation through our ongoing super squadron test at Osan (AB) show our dedication to evolving and adapting our forces to meet the demands of the 21st century,” Iverson said Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation Air Power Days are returning to the home of the 7th Air Force and its U.S The aerial performances last seen at Osan in September 2019 are scheduled again for May 10-11 the 51st Fighter Wing announced in a recent news release Among the expected highlights are performances by the Pacific Air Forces’ F-16 Viper Demonstration Team out of Misawa Air Base in northeastern Japan “We will give the audience an exhilarating display of the F-16’s capabilities,” Capt said in a statement relayed by wing spokesman Maj “This is going to be a spectacular display of speed and agility — just a glimpse into the full potential of this incredible multirole fighter.” Other featured aircraft include the F-16 Fighting Falcon The event will mark one of the final public displays of the A-10 in South Korea before its scheduled departure in October Forge the Future,” pays homage to the A-10 the 25th Fighter Squadron and the 25th Fighter Generation Squadron while celebrating the strength and longevity of the American and South Korean alliance “Air shows at Osan Air Base are typically only held every 2-3 years This is to balance the efforts that come with planning a large-scale public event like Osan Air Power Days with our mission and training requirements,” Sumner said in a follow-up email Wednesday “There were COVID-19 restrictions in place during the past several years that also restricted the types of public events that we could hold.” Planning such an event includes addressing logistics The wing is working with local city officials and Korean National Police to ensure it is safe and accessible “We are hosting weekly meetings with all the responsible agencies to ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend for everyone that comes out to the air show,” he wrote Osan officials are focusing on accessibility and cultural inclusivity for the event There will be bilingual announcements and translators available to assist visitors “The goal is for [Air Power Days] to be an event for both our on- and off-base audiences to enjoy together,” he wrote The last Air Power Days featured performances by the South Korean air force Black Eagles and various U.S The two-day air show and open house will be free and open to the public including the local South Korean community All personnel will need a valid form of identification on them to enter the base There are no plans for pre-registration or identification checks for general off-base attendees