otis peer irar ete) Pets Teer aed{twas eft to F-16A serial 15115 to complete the last-ever Might by 2 Forca Aérea Portuguesa (FAP, Portuguese AF} Block 15 Fighting Falcon in service. The celebrations to mark the S0th anniversary ‘of BAS Monte Real air base in 2009 provided a perfect. ‘opportunity to paint 2 Viper'in appropriate special markings, and the honor was bestowed upon 15115, the final aircraft to enter the Portuguese element of the Eurapean Partner Nation Mid-Life } Upgrade (MLU) program. : was therefore the last ofthe original B) standerd F165 to fly in Portugal The beginning Back in 1994 the hal ofthe is four -16s a Monte Rel eee irc tein cater oes hehe See ere ee mean neh mast Coeae ln iercl aati nthe Quick Reaction alert Interceptor (QRAT tmsson. The F-16 wes the frst tue fighter tobe Sieg Spey eee rea St ArprcanF-86 Sabre in 1980 From the very begining, Portugel hasbeen proacive vith ts F-16s patpating in WTO's Tactical Leadership Program (LP) and other exercises with the am improving meroperabilty between the forces of Acrent NATO nebons Efors ware gahaiacd with the nal withdrawal of Squadra 201s A-7 Corsa sin 1998, Timea Hal -16 wes Chanel evens stor previous assigned to the Cra Ie Tacal Ar Support for atte Operations (AMO), cose at support and ai nero This year is a very significant one for the Portuguese AF, and a year of change forits F-16 fleet. With the original Block 15 OCU versions rendered obsolete, survivors have now been upgraded via a significant process of modifications under the European MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade) program. The FAP participated in Operation ‘lied Force'in 1999, which provided the first real world scenatio in which FAP F-16 pilots could put into practice the skills they had acquiced. Typical ‘Allied Force’ missions involved combat air patrols (CAPs) with a duration of four to eight hours, including aerial refueling. In all, nearly 280 missions ‘were flown, fora total of over 1,000 operational fight hours. More recently, the FAP assumed responsiblity forthe 14th deployment in support of NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission. The Portuguese F-16s thus deployed to Lithuania in 2007, with four F-16s conducting missions under very unaccustomed adverse weather conditions. Peace Atlantis II ‘On November 30, 1998, Portugal and the US signed the Peace ‘Aslanti contract forthe acquisition of 25 additional F-16s (21 F-16As and four F-168s), to equip a second squadron. This batch of aircraft was planned from the outset to enter the European MLU. program to provide the latest elements ofthe upgrade, including the ability to employ precision weapons and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. After a large technical team comprising military and Lockheed Martin personnel visited Monte Real and the OGMA facilities, twas agreed that the MLU would be carried out in Portugal ‘The modification program includes structural strengthening to provide for an additional 5,000 flight hours, detailed maintenance Inspections, and replacement of wiring to allow installation of new ‘lectronics systems. Portugal also acquited a batch of 25 F100-PWW- 200C engines, which were modified to -220E standard at Monte Real ‘the work being performed by civilian organizations. eee eee‘The second F-16 squadron was offially established ‘on November 25, 2005, withthe transfer to Monte Real ‘of Esquadra 301 Jaguars; previously an Alpha Jet unit ‘at Beja, The new'F-I6MLU unit immediately assumed the existing NATO Tiger Association membership status. Together with Esquadra 201 Falcdes, the squadron has participated in several courses and operational exercises inrecent years, including TL Fighter Weapons Instructor Training, Cold Response’’Ardent Nobel, an others. Portugal officially joined the European Participating Ar Forces PAF) group in 2000. Together with the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Norway, Portugal snow akey player inthe incremental modernization ofthe F-16 leet. Participation in the Fighter Weapons Instructor Training (FWM), an EPAF plot instructor course, has served to guarantee the standardization of missions and maintenance, and ensures.a close ‘connection and co-operation between the EPAF members. Currently, the FAP is processing an average of si F-16s through the MLU program each year, and expects to complete the work on all 30 aircraft in ate 2011. The aircraft have received a number of improvements including the recent MS.3 configuration, which was developed and tested by EPAF and the USAF over the past few years, Both Esquadra 201 Faledes! and Esquadra 301 Jaguars’ now ‘operate the F-16 MLV on air defense and conventional attack 82+ www.combataircraftnet missions. The aircraft are equipped with the latest systems including the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System, AMRAAM, GBU-12 laser-quided bombs and GPS-quided Joint Direct Attack ‘Munitions as well as Link 16 datalink. I has been a steady pro F-i6 technology. Acknowledgements: The author would like to thank the Portugues [AF the commanders of Monte Real air base, Col Borrego and Col Craveio, and the officers Lt Cols Pereira, Serdiio, Racha and Dionisio,Above The speally marked 168 ‘el TTS was telasttoenter ‘hell pega. lets baron B ber rence aig tera tin place between Apri 28 and May 10.t Monte ee hee 220 elements that encompassed maintenance, eee eee enn age een teen ee Sere ener st rire See ea ee ere eer eee Olean Ee eee SON eee cantare cd -\ An impressive tine wp of -165at Mant Real The gal Blok SAF vrata be dened by the fing onthe base ofthe ‘in that houses ight contra ‘comlotor Telok Seta havent been upgradedhave new Brent ‘Ths MLUF-eApletspertsthe eine Maura Cain ‘Stem NGS. Having emerged from ‘te oatthupgade Hine, hse TS FA6As paitedin rier eady fra test fight erica ero) by Royal Danish AF jet ET-613. Thenew M6.1 tape eg ee ans eet standardize communications bi eC reacted between the aircraft and its weapons. New eerie ere eotee er err ea earl er) ee ee ee ead ee eee ea! See eee Mn Peeciee icine Aspart ofthe process of constant evaluation ere nent een) Pee tele eee nae! test plots, drawn from Denmark, Norway and Portugal. Having completed operational testing in eaten eer aes The M61 tape is expected be fully tested and Cote eee een ene cece tanrecrs Poe ey ‘Acknowledgements: Thanks to the Portuguese pene eens States) wwnicombatarcraftinet +83