The United States Air Force (USAF) began a year-long experiment last week, creating a kind of “super squadron” with F-16 fighters in South Korea. The initiative will practically double the fleet of an air unit.
The test is being conducted by the Seventh Air Force, responsible for U.S. Air Force units on the Korean Peninsula from Pacific Northwest. The Super Squadron experiment is part of a test aimed at optimizing combat capability and increasing readiness in the region.
Starting this month, the USAF will evaluate a number of factors in the augmented unit, such as manpower usage, logistical resources, maintenance efficiency and missions flown. The goal of the program is to identify the optimal squad size to maximize combat effectiveness.
“This test is an opportunity for us to see if squadrons of this size increase our training effectiveness while also increasing our combat capability if deterrence fails.”, said Lt. Gen. David Iverson, commander of the Seventh Air Force and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea. “As we run this test, we understand that these changes may present some challenges for our Airmen and their families. We are working to mitigate these impacts while increasing our combat readiness and capability.”
During the experiment, the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base will have its fleet increased to 31 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters. Around 150 soldiers and nine fighter jets have already been transferred from Kunsan Air Base to participate in the experiment.
During the test period, the remaining F-16s at Kunsan continue to participate in regularly scheduled routine training to continue strengthening interoperability and sharpening the combined readiness of South Korean and US forces.
