Thunderbirds over my house.

Two F-16 Thunderbirds are flying over my house this morning to promote an airshow this weekend. I have mixed feelings about this. As an engineer/pilot/aviation nerd this is one of my all-time favorite airplanes, particularly as you see it here with no bombs or missiles. It represents a milestone in aircraft performance and flight control technology. It is known to be one of the most powerful and best handling jets of all time, and I once heard a pilot describe it as the most fun airplane he had ever flown. It was first deployed in the late 1970s and remains an effective combat aircraft today. But as much as I admire the F-16 I wish there wasn't a need for it.

General Dynamics F-16C

When I was in my early 20s I wanted to be a military pilot and flying the F-16 was my greatest ambition. I interviewed with two Air National Guard units that flew F-16s and was considered a strong candidate for pilot training. I didn’t make the cut the first year I applied, but I was encouraged to submit an application the following year. For purely selfish reasons I decided to not pursue being a military pilot after those first interviews. I felt a small personal stunt plane would be just as much fun as an F-16 and far less of a commitment than signing up for military service.

Pitts S-1S

So many years later I have come to understand that our military has not always been employed in the interest of “Freedom and Democracy” as we were all told growing up. We have a dark and sad history of imperialism and bullying other sovereign nations around the world. I find it ironic that today any friction with China is tempered by our economic ties, and the opposition we provide to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is by way of indirect military aid and cash. It is pretty safe to say no United States Air Force F-16s are flying over the skies of Ukraine right now.

I understand the need for a strong defense, but I honestly believe our imperialist history and bloated military industrial complex are compelling evidence of something far more sinister than a “strong defense.” Military competition does push the envelope of technology, and earlier military jets gave us the Concord which I think represents the ultimate hotrod. The flight control system of the Space Shuttle very likely had lineage with the F-16, but then again so much of the technology of the Space Shuttle came out of the 1960s Space Race, a far more noble competition.

Empires rise and fall, and I believe it is time for the US to follow in the footsteps of the UK and pull back our control and domination around the world. After shutting down George W Bush’s two costly failed wars our military budget is increasing not decreasing. I find it maddening that we spend literally millions of dollars to have pilots fly F-16s around for fun while halting free vaccines for Covid-19. This horrible virus has killed over a million people in the US alone and continues to kill well over 100,000 per year. As a cancer survivor it feels particularly galling to have these planes flying over my house while I anticipate an upcoming vaccine booster that the Federal Government now refuses to cover.

Still, the F-16 is one gorgeous airplane.