Colorado's Mile High Militia F-16s on the move (updated)

On 12 October 2021, a dozen F-16C Fighting Falcons from Colorado Air National Guard's 120th Fighter Squadron/140th Wing arrived at Morón Air Base in the South of Spain.

While transiting Morón, it is expected that the 120th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, normally based at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora (CO), soon will depart for Al Dhafra Air Base (United Arab Emirates) to be embodied into the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing.

Once deployed to the Middle East, the 120th EFS will perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, including  Offensive Counter-Air (OCA), Defensive Counter-Air (DCA) and Close Air Support (CAS).

The following F-16Cs were sighted at Morón: 86-0287/CO, 86-0358/CO, 86-0365/CO, 87-0254/CO, 87-0260/-, 87-0266/-, 87-0280/WI (Loan from Wisconsin ANG), 87-0284/- (With 140th Wing colours), 87-0298/-, 87-0343/-, 87-0345/- and 88-0401/CO. Of note is that five aircraft did not wear any markings or codes.

Update 15 October 2021: Scramble Magazine has now learned that the Air National Guard deployment of F-16s to the Middle East consists of a mix of units.

Besides the 120th Fighter Squadron, the 176th Fighter Squadron, a unit of the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing is also involved. This, hence the uncoded F-16Cs. Scramble Maqgazine assesses that the Wisconsin uncoded Fighting Falcons are already prepared because the unit will reform to a F-35A Lightning II unit during 2022/2023.

Credit photo: USAF