The United States Air Force is creating a “Super Squadron” of F-16s in the Republic of Korea (ROK), moving more of the fighter jets closer to the North Korean border.
The temporary transfer of upgraded F-16s that began in late July 2025 eventually will see 31 Fighting Falcons and 1,000 Airmen from Kunsan Air Base move about 135 kilometers north to Osan Air Base, the U.S. Air Force stated. Osan is closer to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Korean Peninsula.
The relocation is part of the second phase of a force-optimization test, set to run for a year beginning in October 2025, “to see if a larger, consolidated squadron can generate more combat power and operate more efficiently,” U.S. Air Force Capt. Bryce Hughes, of the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan, said in a July 2025 news release. The first phase began in October 2024 with nine F-16s and 150 Airmen moving to Osan.
The Super Squadron initiative also will “test logistics, maintenance and manpower capabilities” while bolstering the 7th Air Force’s support to ROK defense forces, according to the Air Force Times.
“Kunsan Air Base will maintain its role as a major hub for U.S. air-component forces in South Korea, while the shift to Osan is hoped to provide a more robust defense against threats,” the website reported in August 2025.
The F-16 test is the latest step in strengthening the U.S. fighter presence in the region, according to the military news website Task & Purpose. During the test, the 51st Fighter Wing will expand training with the ROK Air Force and maximize its combat readiness, the Air Force Times reported.
The 51st Fighter Wing’s F-16s are key to maintaining regional security.
“F-16s are one of the only multirole fighters,” U.S. Air Force Capt. Alexandra Sears, the 25th Fighter Generation Squadron’s operations director at Osan, said in a news release. “They can do everything. They’re incredibly lightweight and quick, and when you upgrade the F-16s, they’re able to do so many missions, such as providing close air support like the A-10 [Warthog] or suppressing enemy air defense missions.”
F-16 missions include air-to-ground and air-to-air combat.
“The 51st Fighter Wing is leading the charge on the Super Squadron Test,” stated U.S. Air Force Col. Ryan Ley, wing commander. “I’m proud of what [our personnel] have accomplished already, and I look forward to testing the limits of what we can do over the next year.”
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