F-16 Viper: The Air Force’s “Foxes” at NATO’s “Top Gun” school with upgraded “Nodes”

It received the 30th upgraded type fighter aircraft and the full familiarization of the Greek flyers in the powerful “Nodes” has resulted in their participation in major multinational exercises and in demanding NATO schools. The upgraded F-16s of the 340 Fox War Squadron take off from Souda and fly for Albathete, Spain to represent the Air Force in its most demanding school, Tactical Leader Programme (TLP), also known as “Top Gun”. CORVERSE The F-16 Viper will take part in the first training course for 2025, which takes place from 23 January to 14 February 2025, where last November the Greek flyers of the 332 War Squadron “Gerraki” gave credentials of capabilities with the new Rafale and dominated against all participants in both “kills” and survival rates. It was the first presence of the French “wind dumps” of the Greek Air Force at the renowned school, which caused a sense within NATO and satisfaction in the air force given that the “olds” of our Air Force had against the top air forces and 4,5 and 5th generation fighters. CORVERSE Such a presence is also sought by the “Foxes” demonstrating that they have been highly initiated in the secrets of upgraded fighters and can make the most of the technical characteristics of Viper. First, the powerful radar AESA, which reveals and “locks” targets at much longer distances than the previous radar, while also the network-centric features allow flying people to cooperate perfectly in combined operations in both air to air and air to ground scenarios. Press release: DEYNAS/EUROKINISSI The very high competition that characterizes the TLP program is a challenge to the flighters of 340 Squadron, who have previously given this school credentials and even in 2021 Captain Anastasios Andronicakis was declared by his colleagues NATO pilots as “Best Warrior”, as the flying man who would like to be next to them in battle. A total of 12 expeditions of increasing difficulty include each educational course of TLP, which start with planning on the ground, are applied to the air and analysed again on the ground where the ability of flyingmen is judged with measurable elements such as “kills”. MICHAEL CARAGIANNIS / EUROKINISSI The flying take over Leaders of Forms and are judged for their ability to guide their Forms and make regular decisions while they are on the air. They are invited to cooperate with flying men from other Air Force and to train with unknown fighters in high difficulty scenarios involving large Comao. The design of the air force predicts, according to OnAllert.gr, the participation of upgraded F-16 Viper fighters and the largest NATO exercise in Europe “Ramstein Flag 2025”, which will take place in spring at Leeuwarden Air Force Base, Netherlands. The base on which fighters will be gathered from the Alliance’s top air carriers has been hosting since 2019 the F-35 of the Royal Air Force of the Netherlands. NATO’s largest air “date” will probably take place F-16 Viper fighters of the 343 Star War Squadron, the first Squadron, equipped with the upgraded F-16s. Source: OnAlert.gr – Reportage: Costas Sarikas