8th Fighter Wing performs critical maintenance, sustains lethality

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Gallegos, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, inspects the bulkhead of an F-16 Fighting Falcon with liquid nitrogen at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. Due to normal wear and tear after years of flying and performing combat and training operations, the bulkhead had to be replaced in order to maintain the F-16 Fighting Falcon’s lethality. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyler Stratman, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, sprays the bulkhead of an F-16 Fighting Falcon with liquid nitrogen at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. Multiple components on aircraft have to be replaced in order to maintain the lifespan, keep them operational, and sharpen the lethality of the Wolf Pack fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyler Stratman, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, sprays the bulkhead of an F-16 Fighting Falcon with liquid nitrogen at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. Due to normal wear and tear after years of flying and performing combat and training operations, the bulkhead had to be replaced in order to maintain the F-16 Fighting Falcon’s lethality. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Gallegos, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, attempts to remove the bulkhead of an F-16 Fighting Falcon with liquid nitrogen at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. Replacement parts are being installed to change dated parts on F-16s in the Wolf Pack fleet and to sharpen the 8 Fighter Wing’s lethality. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyler Stratman, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, sprays the bulkhead of an F-16 Fighting Falcon with liquid nitrogen at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. Multiple components on aircraft had to be replaced in order to maintain the lifespan, keep them operational, and sharpen the lethality of the Wolf Pack fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Gallegos, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist (right), and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Stratman, 309th AMXG depot structural maintenance specialist (left), from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, attempts to remove the bulkhead from an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. The replacement is part of a maintenance initiative to structurally repair dated parts on some of the F-16s and enhance the lethality of the Wolf Pack fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Gallegos, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group depot structural maintenance specialist (right) from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, explains various components of an F-16 Fighting Falcon intake to Col. John Bosone, 8ith fighter Wing commander (left), at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 8, 2018. The replacement is part of a maintenance initiative to structurally repair dated parts on some of the F-16s and enhance the lethality of the Wolf Pack fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)