"Aviano F-16: From Serbian Skies to Iranian Threats"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The Aviation Geek Club
An F-16 Fighting Falcon, tail number 2137, currently deployed to CENTCOM from Aviano Air Base, Italy, as part of the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, is flying missions to deter Iran from seizing commercial vessels. The aircraft bears three green stars, replacing previous kill markings denoting a triple kill achieved during a NATO mission over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1994. The pilot, then-Capt. Robert Gordon "Wilbur" Wright, downed three Serbian J-21 Jastreb fighters using AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, resulting in the first "triple kill" on a single mission since the Korean War. This F-16 is one of the few active US military aircraft with air-to-air kills.