Wild Weasel Panthers will meet the Lightning

On 2 September 2025, the last F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 13th Fighter Squadron "Panthers" (or "Panther Pack"), part of the 35th Fighter Wing, departed Misawa Air Base (Japan) for the last time.

On 4 July 2024, Scramble Magazine first wrote about USAF's intention to upgrade its presence at Misawa from 36 F-16C/D Fighting Falcons to 48 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs.

For now, it is expected that the 13th Fighter Squadron’s former F-16 aircraft are being relocated in a realignment that underscores the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. As such, F-16s in Pacific Air Command's area of responsibility are now teamed up in supersquadrons.

Having flown the Fighting Falcon for four decades, the "Panthers" squadron was reactivated as the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1985 at Misawa. The squadron was redesignated the 13th Fighter Squadron in 1991.

Credit photos: USAF