"We are the first operational F-16 unit to ever shoot 'Willie Pete' (2.75 inch White Phosphorous Forward Firing Aerial) rockets and to become airborne forward air controllers," said Col. Jim Turner, 31st Operations Group commander. "Back when the F-16 was brand new, they hung rockets on the airplane to validate it was safe to shoot them, but it's never been done since."

Because of the numerous possible scenarios in Bosnia and a lack of AFACs worldwide, Lt. Gen. Michael E. Ryan, commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, tasked the 31st FW to become "card-carrying AFACs," Turner said.

"Given the ground situation in Bosnia with civilians being around, fighting in close pockets, and UN friendly forces on the ground, an AFAC is an additional insurance policy to reduce the possibility of friendly casualties and collateral damage," he noted.

When performing the new mission, Aviano pilots will work with a forward air controller on the ground to find out what the Army commander's needs are for close air support. Moreover, the AFAC will identify a target to a fighter aircraft so the pilot can employ ordnance against that target without endangering friendly forces.

Approximately 60 pilots, maintainers and support people deployed from Aviano to Davis-Monthan to bring the new mission on line, and, according to Lt. Col. Steve Hoog, 555th FS commander, the training is going well.

"I think the training is going better than we expected. We've found that because we've been flying close air support (missions) working with the A-10 FACs over Bosnia (in support of Operation Deny Flight) that we already have a lot in common with what they do," Hoog said "The actual hands-on learning how to become AFACs is just a different application than that in the A-10."

Hoog pointed out how vital it's been to have the A-10 instructor pilots, assigned to the 358th Fighter Squadron, flying in the back seat of the two-seat F-16Ds.

"This offers us a nice opportunity because they see what we see," he said. "There are some things that work in the A-10 just as they do in the F-16, however, there are other things that don't carry over because of the difference in the airplanes."