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The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron Det.1 based at Holloman Air Force Base flew its first manned sortie with a QF-16 full-scale aerial target on February 10, 2017. The flight was described by Det.1 Commander, Lt Col Ron King as “significant because it is the first step in standing up the QF-16 programme. Compared to its predecessor, the QF-4 which was retired in December, Lt Col King said the QF-16 offers more realistic threat replication in performance, manoeuvrability and capabilities. Photo Jim Haseltine