Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Capt. Cory Farrer, 13th Fighter Squadron pilot, taxis an F-16 Fighting Falcon toward the runway for a predawn takeoff Feb. 3. The F-16 is a multi-role, all-weather fighter capable of accurately delivering ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Capt. Cory Farrer, 13th Fighter Squadron pilot, taxis an F-16 Fighting Falcon toward the runway for a predawn takeoff Feb. 3. The F-16 was the first fighter jet to employ a "fly-by-wire" control system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- While piloting an F-16 Fighting Falcon, Capt. Craig Phelps takes off into the Misawa morning sky Feb. 3 during Exercise Beverly Sunrise 10-01. Lasting a total of eight days, the exercise's aim was to hone Airmen's skills as they operated in a "deployed" environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)

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Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Maj. Michael Driscoll, 13th Fighter Squadron pilot, takes off here just before dawn Feb. 3. The jet's single engine is capable of producing 27,000 pounds of thrust taking the F-16 to an altitude of 50,000 feet and a speed of 1,500 miles per hour -- nearly twice the speed of sound. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Capt. Craig Phelps, 14th Fighter Squadron pilot, ascends from the runway in a predawn takeoff Feb. 3. The F-16 can fly more than 500 miles, deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Capt. Cory Farrer, 13th Fighter Squadron pilot, takes off in an F-16 Fighting Falcon just before dawn Feb. 3. Since Sept. 11, 2001, the F-16 has been a major component of combat forces flying thousands of sorties in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Falcons rise with the sun

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- While piloting an F-16 Fighting Falcon, Capt. Craig Phelps takes off into the Misawa morning sky Feb. 3 during Exercise Beverly Sunrise 10-01. Throughout the exercise, Airmen prepared, flew and maintained F-16s as base personnel trained to test their deployed-operational skills. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)

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Falcons rise with the sun

Published Feb. 4, 2010