20 May 2021
American training provider Top Aces has become the first private company in the world to own and operate a fourth-generation fighter aircraft, the awesome Lockheed Martin 16A ‘Flying Falcon’.
Top Aces describes its work as ‘advanced adversary training’ – what the US Air Force calls ‘Red Air’ – and it has a contract with the USAF for Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ). We think that means ‘fill yer boots’.
Top Aces took delivery of its first four F-16s in January. The company’s in-house maintenance team returned the aircraft to operational and airworthy status at its F-16 Center of Excellence in Mesa, Arizona. The first of the F16As was certified by the FAA this week and successfully performed its initial test flight.
Top Aces has returned the F16A to service and performed its first test flight. Photos: Top Aces
Top Aces says an important step in preparing Top Aces’ F-16 fleet is the integration of Top Aces’ Advanced Aggressor Mission System (AAMS), which will provide the most advanced adversary capability in the industry.
AAMS features include active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, infrared search-and-track (IRST), advanced data link and helmet-mounted cueing systems.
Russ Quinn, president of Top Aces, said, “By recruiting the most-experienced former USAF Aggressor pilots and ground crews, deploying this high-caliber aircraft and upgrading the F-16 with tailor-made system modifications, Top Aces will provide the most tactically challenging, realistic and cost-effective adversary training.
“The entire Top Aces team is very proud to play our part in providing the men and women who operate USAF and USN front line fighters with the most advanced level of training possible.”
According to Scramble, a Dutch spotters website, N854TA is an F-16A Block 5, built with US serial 78-0322, but sold to Israel in September 1980. It was one of the aircraft to drop its bombs on Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor during operation Opera in 1981. N854TA retains its Heyl Ha’Avir (Israeli Air Force) colour scheme while additionally carrying the name ‘Billy Bob’
