425th Fighter Squadron

rdf:langString 425th Fighter Squadron

rdf:langString 425th Fighter Squadron

rdf:langString Black Widows

rdf:langString * 150pxEuropean Theater of Operations

rdf:langString * 150pxAir Force Outstanding Unit Award * Citation in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944

rdf:langString Luke Air Force Base, Arizona

rdf:langString Patch with 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron emblem

rdf:langString Emblem of the 425th Fighter Squadron

rdf:langString Freedom Fighters

rdf:langString Black Widows

rdf:langString Advanced weapons and tactics continuation training for Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 pilots

rdf:langString Squadron

rdf:langString The 425th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training for Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 pilots. The unit was originally formed as the 425th Night Fighter Squadron in 1943. After training in the United States, it was deployed to Ninth Air Force in England in the spring of 1944, prior to the D-Day landings in France. During the run-up to D-Day, the squadron trained with Royal Air Force night fighter units against Luftwaffe raiders who intruded the night skies over England. After the landings in France, the mission of the squadron became the air defense of Allied liberated territory. During the Battle of the Bulge, it also flew day and night interdiction missions against enemy troop movements, bridges and other targets of opportunity. It was inactivated in 1947. The squadron was re-activated in 1969 as a Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter training squadron for Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots for transition training. After the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War, it continued performed training of pilots from friendly nations who purchased the Northrop F-5E Tiger II as part of the United States Foreign Military Sales program. It was inactivated in 1989 when sales of the F-5 were ended.