Air Force Times July 03, 2007
'Happy Hooligans' fly first UAV
The 119th Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard flew its first unmanned aerial vehicle mission from Fargo, N.D., on Monday.
The former F-16 squadron — known as the “Happy Hooligans” — is now flying the MQ-1 Predator and the C-21A Lear Jet cargo aircraft, which eventually will be replaced by the Joint Cargo Aircraft.
In its 2005 base realignment and closure recommendations, the Defense Department recommended that the Air Force retire the squadron’s F-16s. The 119th was able to secure its future by taking on the Predator mission.
The North Dakota Air National Guard won the prestigious Hughes Trophy in 1994 for being the most outstanding air-to-air unit in the Air Force, according to GlobalSecurity.org. It is the only Guard unit to win the award twice and the only F-16 unit to ever win the trophy.
© Copyright 2007, Army Times Publishing Company
