510th Fighter Squadron The 510th Fighter Squadron ( 510 FS ) is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base , Italy . It is a combat - ready F - 16CM fighter squadron prepared to deploy and fly combat sorties as tasked by NATO and US combatant commanders . The squadron employs a full range of the latest state - of - the - art precision ordnance . Mission . The 510 FS performs air and space control and force application roles including counterair , strategic attack , interdiction , combat search and rescue ( CSAR ) , close air support ( CAS ) , and forward air control - airborne ( FAC - A ) missions . History . World War II . The 510th Fighter Squadron was originally formed as the 625th Bombardment Squadron ( Dive ) , part of the 405th Bombardment Group , at Drew Field , Florida , in 1943 , flying the Douglas A - 24 Banshee . On 15 August 1943 , the 625th was renamed the 510th Fighter - Bomber Squadron . In late 1943 , the squadron moved to Walterboro Army Air Field , South Carolina , and began flying the Bell P - 39 Airacobra , and then the Republic P - 47 Thunderbolt . In March 1944 , the 510th moved to RAF Christchurch , England , and began combat operations . During World War II , the 510th moved to mainland Europe with the advance of Allied troops , flying from Picauville and Saint - Dizier , France , Ophoven , Belgium , and Kitzingen , Germany . The unit was credited with 39 kills . In late 1945 , the 510th was inactivated at Camp Kilmer , New Jersey . Pacific Air Forces . In 1952 , the 510th was reactivated at Godman Air Force Base , Kentucky , flying the Republic F - 84F Thunderstreak . In April 1953 , the squadron relocated to Langley Air Force Base , Virginia , and transitioned to the North American F - 100 Super Sabre . In 1959 , the 510th moved to Clark Air Base , Philippines and in 1964 , to England Air Force Base , Louisiana . At the start of the Vietnam War , the 510th established a new home at Bien Hoa Air Base , South Vietnam . The 510th flew over 27 , 200 combat missions in Southeast Asia . In 1969 , the unit again inactivated . United States Air Forces in Europe . In 1979 , the 510th reactivated at RAF Bentwaters , England , and began receiving the Fairchild A - 10 Thunderbolt II . In 1991 , the 510th deployed to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey , in support of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort . In 1993 , the 510th relocated to Spangdahlem Air Base , Germany . During 1993 and 1994 , the 510th flew more than 1 , 700 combat sorties from Aviano Air Base , Italy , in support of Operation Deny Flight . In the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina , the squadron became the " BOSNIA BUZZARDS " . The 510th was inactivated in April 1994 and reactivated at Aviano Air Base , Italy on 1 July 1994 as the 510th Fighter Squadron absorbing the F - 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and equipment of the inactivated 512th Fighter Squadron , which had been inactivated at Ramstein AB , Germany when the 86th FW became an airlift wing ( 86th AW ) . At Aviano , the squadron returned to its previous mission as an operational combat fighter squadron . The 510th , during Operation Deliberate Force , was the first F - 16 Block 40 squadron to drop a laser - guided bomb . The 510th led the Tactical Air Forces with the first combat use of Night Vision Goggles in an F - 16 during Operation Deliberate Guard . The 510th led the way by being one of the first F - 16 units to become Forward Air Control lers ( FAC - A ) , and were the first to employ as FAC - A ' s in combat in the F - 16 . In October 1998 , the squadron deployed with the F - 16 to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey for the first time to fly in support of Operation Northern Watch . In Operation Allied Force , the Air War over Serbia , the 510th flew more combat missions than any other F - 16 squadron . Subsequently the " BALKAN BUZZARDS " the squadron has expanded into an Expeditionary Air Force , and were the first Aviano fighter squadron to deploy to Operation Southern Watch in June 2000 . During those deployments the " FIGHTIN ' BUZZARDS " engaged in combat operations over Iraq in both surface attack and combat search and rescue ( CSAR ) . From September to December 2002 , the Buzzards returned to Operation Southern Watch and dropped 136 , 508 pounds of ordnance over Iraq to include the first GBU - 31A JDAM in F - 16CG combat history .