Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. (March 10, 2025): After forty-two years of reliable service, the Air Force is beginning to retire its aging F-16 jet fighters to prepare for a new generation of attack aircraft. In this photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Ress, commander of the 309th Fighter Squadron, fastens his oxygen mask as he readies to captain his F-16 Fighting Falcon for its final flight. While the 56th Fighter Wing will continue to support the F-16 for international partners, the wing is switching its focus to the latest fifth-generation fighter, the F-35A Lightning II.

Nicknamed the “Viper,” the F-16 made its first flight in 1974 and entered service in 1988 as the first all-day/all-weather fighter with night capability. Produced by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, the F-16s were revolutionary due to their “fly by wire” technology which used computers to assist pilots for first time. The new technology gave American pilots the edge in dogfights against the nimble Soviet MIG series of jets. The term “Viper” comes from its resemblance to the snake design of the Colonial Viper starfighter from the television series Battlestar Galactica.

It is fitting that the F-16 is retired by the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force base. As the primary active-duty fighter pilot training wing in the service, Luke AFB is home to twenty-four squadrons with both F-35A Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The base graduates more than four hundred pilots and three hundred air control professionals annually. The last F-16 class graduated in September 2024 and the base is now switching pilot training to the F-35A.

The F-16’s retirement is not total, however. Besides foreign clients, Luke AFB will continue to support F-16 units across active duty, Guard, and Reserve, ensuring that the jet remains relevant in many roles.