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182nd Fighter Squadron instructors train F-16 pilots

  • Published
  • 149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas-- The 182nd Fighter Squadron, part of the 149th Fighter Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, stands as one of the premier fighter training units in the nation.

The job of its instructor pilots is to take inexperienced fighter pilots and teach them how to employ the F-16 to defend the country. 

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations. The 149th FW maintains a mobility commitment in many support areas including security forces, medical, civil engineering, services, transportation and military personnel.

A pilot inspects the front of a jet prior to a flight.

Flight Check

First Lt. James Demkowicz, a student F-16 pilot assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, conducts pre-flight checks prior to launch during Coronet Cactus, Feb. 28, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. (Courtesy photo)
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First Lt. James Demkowicz, a student F-16 pilot assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, conducts pre-flight checks prior to launch during Coronet Cactus, Feb. 28, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. (Courtesy photo)