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 F-16s from 312 Squadron at Volkel AB of the Royal Netherlands Air Force arrived at Manas AB in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan last October to patrol the skies over Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. They are part of the European Participating Air Forces deployment, which also includes the air forces of Denmark and Norway. All EPAF jets fly the close air support role enabled by the LANTIRN targeting pod and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs added with the Mid-Life Update. Manas is also known as Ganci AB, named after New York Fire Chief Peter J. Ganci, Jr, who died in the 11 September attacks. During the operation, EPAF F-16s were occasionally identified as MiG-16s by the Kyrg air traffic controllers. |
