US Air Force receives final 'Zombie' F-16 for full-throttle flights

The US Air Force has received its final QF-16 fighter aircraft, concluding a 15-year program to convert retired F-16 Fighting Falcons into remotely piloted aerial targets, known as “F-16 Zombies.” Delivered by Boeing in late November, these drones are used primarily for live-fire missile tests and combat training, enabling pilots to engage realistic, full-scale maneuvering fighter targets. The QF-16 program began in the early 2010s to replace the older QF-4 Phantom drones, with the first converted F-16 flying in 2012 and reaching operational capability by 2016. Boeing was responsible for retrofitting the retired jets with advanced flight-control systems and telemetry to enable unmanned operation, a complex task given the original manned design of the aircraft. The final QF-16, serial number 83-1079, originally entered service in 1984 and was retired in 2007 before conversion. Although no new QF-16 conversions