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Northrop’s veteran Tiger II still has a few more years ahead of it as an adversary, and it’s possible more used F-5s will arrive to form new units or replenish existing ones. George Karavantos reports from Naval Air Station Key West, where the resident VFC-111 ‘Sundowners’ flies some of the US Navy’s in-demand F-5s.
Marked as the VFC-111 commander’s jet, F-5N 761591 (c/n L1066/1159) ‘AF-111’ was former Swiss Air Force J-3066. Key West is ideally suited for the training environment. From take-of aircraft transiting northwest are in the local military operations area within five minutes. This vast complex comprises more than 20,000 square nautical miles of airspace reserved for the US Navy. José Ramos
