The F-16 Fighting Falcon was produced by General Dynamics who became Lockheed who then merged with Martin Marietta to become Lockheed Martin. The F-16 entered service in January 1979 as a multi-role jet fighter that evolved into an all-weather multi-role aircraft capable of sustaining 9-g turns. The F-16 is relatively inexpensive to purchase and maintain so the U.S. and 25 other countries added it to their inventory. The Fighting Falcon is referred to by its pilots as the “Viper” and will remain in USAF service until 2025.
The 455th (former 4th Pursuit Group) TFW was commissioned in 2001 as an F-16A/B FW equipping a training squadron and four TFS. RoCAF General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F- 16A Fighting Falcon serial 6609 was manufactured as 93-0710 c/n TA-9 and is assigned to the 21st FS/455th TFW at Chiayi AB. In 2017 F-16A 6609 received a special paint scheme to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Nationalist China’s victory in the second Sino-Japanese War beginning in 1937 as well as commemorate the RoCAF Sabres’ victory over PLAAF MiG-17s on August 14th 1958 (“814 Air Combat”).