Virtual United States Air Force – 20th Fighter Wing – Victory By Valor

Published December 17, 2012 | By editor

20 FW Vision:
Become the most feared virtual Viper drivers on the internet through vigorous training, realistic scenarios, robust participation, and staunch camaraderie

The 20th Fighter Wing (20 FW) is home to the virtual United States Air Force’s (vUSAF) only dual simulator wing flying the world’s premier multirole fighter aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, affectionately known as the Viper. The 20 FW is currently parent unit of two fighter squadrons, the 55th and 77th. The 55th Fighter Squadron (Fighting Fifty Fifth) is an Flight Simulator X (FSX) based unit flying the F-16. The 55 FS utilizes a variety of add on F-16 aircraft including the Iris Simulations F-16D Viper. This aircraft, along with the vUSAF’s patented ACMI gauge, provide the most advanced F-16 combat operations in FSX and on VATSIM. The 77th Fighter Squadron (Gamblers) flies the Viper located within the venerable Falcon 4.0 simulator first released in 1998. The 77 FS utilizes the latest update by Benchmark Sims (BMS) making it the best purpose built F-16 combat simulator for the PC, period. The 55th and 77th have unprecedented cooperation and combine to make this the premier wing in the vUSAF.

We take inexperienced or low-time pilots and turn them into fully qualified Viper drivers through an extensive training program designed to get the pilot into the air. Additionally, the 20 FW brings the best of both FSX and BMS into one unit. Pilots are assigned to either the 55th or 77th based on their primary platform preference. Choose the 55 FS and you’ll be assigned to Air Education and Training Command (AETC) where you’ll progress through Initial Flight Training (IFT), Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), and Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) before you be assigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) and ultimately, the 20 FW. Choose the 77th and you’ll complete a Fighter Lead-In course before transitioning into the advanced B-Course training. All 20 FW pilots (55th or 77th) must pass the very same comprehensive B-Course training syllabus to receive a Mission Ready (MR) rating prior to operating the F-16 under the vUSAF banner. Furthermore, it’s possible to become dual qualified on both FSX and BMS and truly have the best of both worlds.

Finally, the vUSAF lives by the very same Core Values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All we Do, just like its real world counterparts in the USAF. So if you want a challenge, if you want to succeed, and if you want to be the best. Join the virtual United Sates Air Force and become a Viper pilot today!

v/r
Dunnage

R. BRYAN BEDWELL, vCol, vUSAF
Commander, 20th Fighter Wing