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Aggressor’s paint scheme gets a makeover
By Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum
99th Air Base Wing Pubic A airs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. —
Since 1972, the 64th Aggressor Squadron
has prepared combat air forces by provid-
ing realistic threat replication and training.
On Aug. 5, the 64th AGRS unveiled
the new “splinter” paint scheme for the
F-16 Aggressors at Nellis Air Force Base
during the 57th Adversary Tactics Group
change of command.
e new paint scheme for the F-16
will serve as the closest representation
of real world threats for pilots who train
at Nellis.
“ e paint scheme is a means of rep-
resenting threats more accurately,” said
Capt. Ken Spiro, 64th AGRS chief of
intelligence. “ ere are real world threats
that paint their jets in this way so we are
changing over to make it more physically
like their aircra . Once a pilot who is
training comes within visual range of the
new Aggressor, they’ll be seeing a similar
situation to what they would see with an
actual threat aircra .”
To represent these threats more accu-
rately, the 64th AGRS looks for any and
all ways to try to emulate the threats that
are opposing combat air forces.
“ e idea started at the 64th AGRS
because we’re always looking for di erent
ways to be more threat representative,
and make the training more realistic,”
said Spiro. “ e 64th AGRS gets creative
in extra ways, such as paint schemes to
accurately and better represent threats.
We act like, look like, or anything you
can think of we try so we can be true
to the threats. We’ve had some jets that
are painted like a regular F-16, and then
we’ve had some that have more of a tiger
stripe pattern. Our F-16’s paint schemes
have been similar to threats in the past
The 64th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., debut the new paint scheme
for the F-16 Aggressors during the 57th Adversary Tactics Group change of command
ceremony Aug. 5. Since 1972, the 64th Aggressor Squadron has prepared combat air
forces by providing realistic threat replication and training.
News 5August 12, 2016
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and this new scheme is more representa- U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum
tive of today’s threats.”
The tail ash of an F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 64th Aggressor Squadron, with
In order to better emulate these the new “splinter” paint scheme sits in the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird hangar at Nellis Air
threats, the 64th AGRS went to M1 Force Base, Nev., during the 57th Adversary Tactics Group change of command ceremony
Support Services in order to make their Aug. 5. To represent threats more accurately, the 64th AGRS looks for any and all ways to
vision a reality. try to emulate the threats that are opposing combat air forces.
“Viper Aircra Maintenance Unit ap- An F-16 Fighting Falcon,
proached us and expressed their interest assigned to the 64th
in the new paint schemes, and our role Aggressor Squadron, with
was to take the photos they had and adapt the new “splinter” paint
them to the F-16,” said Mr. Je ery Dezell, scheme sits in the U.S.
M1 Support Services corrosion shop lead. Air Force Thunderbird
“Once adapted, Viper AMU made any hangar at Nellis Air Force
changes they wanted and once they were Base, Nev., during the 57th
satis ed with the product, they ran the Adversary Tactics Group
paint scheme through the approval pro- change of command
cess. Once it was approved, we proceeded ceremony Aug. 5. The
to paint the aircra .” new paint scheme for
the F-16 will serve as the
e process of painting the newest closest representation
scheme on the F-16 Aggressors is one that of real world threats for
doesn’t happen over-night. It took nearly pilots who train at Nellis
three weeks to nish the rst version. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum AFB.
“It is also a hard line paint scheme
rather than a so one,” said Dezell. “Basi-
cally, rather than painting all the colors
at once, with this new paint scheme we
have to paint one color at a time. It’s
more labor intensive and takes longer to
complete. It’s a one of a kind paint job
that no one has done before.”
is one of the kind “splinter” scheme
is one of two di erent paint schemes that
will be introduced in the coming months.
“ is is the rst F-16 Aggressor with
the newest scheme and we are working
on a second ‘shark’ scheme because the
64th AGRS would like to see two threats
eventually,” said Dezell. “ at scheme is
in the design stages right now and the
preliminary designs have been sent over
to Viper for their changes and approval.”
ese new paint schemes are the just
two of the multiple ways the 64th AGRS
provide advanced, relevant, and realistic
training to air combat forces.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum
Airmen, attending the 57th Adversary Tactics Group change of command ceremony, take
the rst look at the new F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 64th Aggressor Squadron,
paint scheme in the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird hangar at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Aug.
5. This one of the kind “splinter” scheme is one of two di erent paint schemes that will
be introduced in the coming months.