Why New Jersey ANG F-16s visited Aviano Air Base

Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcons and Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tankers of the New Jersey Air National Guard recently conducted a short deployment to Aviano Air Base in Italy. The time spent in Italy was surprisingly short (October 18 to 25, 2024) considering the distance the aircraft travelled from the United States. The deployment was called Operation Pegasus Dawn and was an Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training mission designed to support 108th Wing’s transition from the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker to the