General Dynamics F-16A Little Precious

Backbone of the US Air Force

In January 1979, the first operational F-16A arrived in Utah as the newly designated warfighter of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, the first operational unit to fly this fourth generation fighter. In an air combat role, the F-16’s maneuverability and combat radius (distance flown to enter air combat, stay, fight, and return) exceeded that of all potential enemy fighter aircraft in the 1970s and early 1980s. After more than 40 years of effective service, this weapon system proved to be the backbone of the US Air Force’s fighter fleet up until the transition to the F-35.

Little Precious & Testing Performance

Nicknamed Little Precious, the F-16A on display was the Ogden Air Logistics Center’s first test F-16—one of only three of its type stationed at Hill. It arrived at Hill Air Force Base on 26 February 1982, and joined the installation’s F-4 “White Birds” for flight testing duties. Here, pilots tested the airframe’s performance and handling qualities in different flight modes, failure scenarios, and extreme conditions. This played a critical role in supporting the growing F-16 fleet across the US Air Force. In 1995, Little Precious retired from service and was displayed on a pedestal at Hill’s West Gate before relocating to the Hill Aerospace Museum.

Sustainability is Key

In addition to the operations mission, Hill Air Force Base has supported a robust F-16 maintenance mission throughout the years—to include structural, electrical, commodities, and software. Furthermore, Hill Air Force Base has been the home to the F-16 System Program Office for years, overseeing the development, acquisition, modernization, and sustainment of this multi-role combat aircraft.

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