New drones quantum leap

QF-16 at Tyndall. Air Force photo

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Retired F-16 Fighting Falcons, among the most lethal warplanes to roll off an assembly line, are getting a new lease on life that will let them go out with a bang. About 200 of the planes are being converted into full scale, pilotless aerial targets. They'll help the military gauge the effectiveness of new weapons and perfect the skills of military aviators. And while drones may seem like the newest of the new in some areas, for Tyndall Air Force Base they're old hat. (Source: Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Quarterly, 09/10/13) Full quarterly