Sabers up tempo with 14 turn 12s
Airman 1st Class Darren Arellano, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron assistant dedicated crew chief, pulls wheel chocks from under a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron during a "14 front" launch at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, May 4th, 2017. From April 24 to May 5, the 480th FS and 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron supported 26 sorties a day, 14 in the morning and 12 in the afternoon. This flying tempo is referred to as a, “14 turn 12,” and is a 16 percent increase over normal operations. During normal operations, it’s standard to launch a 12 turn 10, or 4 fewer sorties per day. Preparing and launching 14 aircraft in one go is referred to as a “14 front.” (U.S. Air Force photo by Preston Cherry)