The Air Force 'Elephant Walked' 49 Drones and F-16 Fighters
What You Need to Know: Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico hosted an impressive elephant walk featuring 49 aircraft, including F-16 Vipers and MQ-9 Reaper drones.
-The event demonstrated U.S. airpower and celebrated the Air Force’s largest F-16 and MQ-9 training pipeline. An elephant walk, a mass taxi and takeoff of aircraft, dates back to World War II, symbolizing readiness and collaboration.
-The display highlighted the skill of airmen, boosted morale, and reinforced international partnerships.
-It was the first time MQ-9 drones participated in such an event, showcasing the coordination between different units in achieving mission success.
Impressive Elephant Walk: 49 F-16s and Drones Showcase U.S. Airpower at Holloman AFB
A few years back, the US Air Force’s 49th Wing put on an impressive display of airpower at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico: an elephant walk featuring 49 of the wing’s fighter jets and drones.
Elephant Walk Time
What’s an elephant walk?
An elephant walk is “the Air Force term for a close formation aircraft taxiing en masse before takeoff.” So think dozens of jets crawling down the runway together, and then taking off one after another. The term is not new, however; the term dates back to World War II when bomber aircraft would often taxi and take off together en masse. To observers, the nose-to-tail bomber formations looked like a group of elephants walking nose-to-tail.
Elephant walks aren’t just “for clicks and likes though,” the Department of Defense maintains.
“The key to air power is exceptional airmen, and the key to exceptional airmen is exceptional training,” said Brigadier General Lyle K. Drew, who commands the 82nd Training Wing. “[The] elephant walk was our message to the world that the U.S. and its international partners remain committed to delivering the best trained airmen in the world.”
Indeed, the elephant walk can also be use as a means of celebrating, and of boosting on-base morale.
The Hollomon Elephant Walk
The elephant walk at Hollomon featured F-16 Vipers plus MQ-9 Reaper drones.
“When people mention Hollomon Air Force Base I want them to picture the aircraft and mission that’s displayed in today’s elephant walk,” said U.S. Air Force Colonel Justin Spears, 49th Wing commander. “We have the largest F-16 Viper and MQ-9 Reaper training pipeline and this elephant walk showcases the amount of airpower and manpower we can generate.”
The forty-nine craft elephant walk at Hollomon certainly has people talking.
“I think elephant walks are important as it shows our NATO partners and other allies around the world that we care about producing pilots and operators,” said U.S. Air Force Major Sean Robere, 311th Fighter Squadron, assistant director of operations. “It also shows other parts of the world that we are continuing to produce capable Airmen and aircraft.”
The F-16s (an airframe first flown in the 1970s) used in the elephant walk belonged to the 8th, 311th, and 314th Fighter Squadrons. The MQ-9s used in the elephant walk – which marked the first time the MQ-9 has been used in an elephant walk – belong to the 29th, 9th, and 6th Attack Squadron.
From the Vault
Top 5 Fighter Jets from U.S. Military and Russia
5 Best Attack Submarines on Earth in 2024
Allowing forty-nine aircraft to launch at once in such a short window also demonstrated the skill of the Air Force’s maintenance workers.
“Being able to work with the Airmen from the MQ-9 side of the house is always fun because we essentially have the same mission of building combat aircrew but with different aircraft,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Brian Maple, 311th Aircraft Maintenance Unit assistant superintendent. “The communication between the MQ-9 and F-16 units really helps to build and strengthen our effectiveness at completing the mission.”
The Hollomon elephant walk was indeed an impressive visual display. To get a sense of what an F-16-based elephant walk looks like, check out this 2019 USAF video from Germany.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Editor and opinion writer with over 1,000 published articles on defense issues. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken. Email the Author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
Image Credit: Creative Commons.