The NJ Night Sky Will Soon Be Full of Fighter Jets – Here’s Why

New Jerseyans will get a free air show of sorts in the coming days, as fighter jets from the Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing will be exercising in the skies above the Garden State. These training exercises will take place on the evenings of February 26 and 27, and March 3-5, almost a year after the 177th conducted similar night flight training in the southern part of the country. According to the Fighter Wing’s dedicated Facebook page, the purpose of the regular exercise is to “maintain mission capability and combat readiness.”

The public announcement is to dispel any fear or surprise locals may have had when the jets roared past – and they likely roared, given their powerful engines. New Jersey’s Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing historically consisted of several types of aircraft, including the F-86E Sabre, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, and F-106A/B Delta Dart. Its current mission aircraft, however, is the F-16C Fighting Falcon, a variant of the same aircraft used by many countries that have purchased F-16 fighter jets from the US for their own air forces.

Typically, the single-seat F-16C is powered by the Pratt and Whitney F100 or the General Electric F110-GE-100/129 and can reach Mach 2 at altitude. The plane is about 50 meters long with a wingspan of over 32 meters, so it won’t be difficult for locals to see one (or hear one) from the ground. Of course, seeing what the interior of an F-16 fighter jet looks like will not be easy. The noise can be a little hard to ignore for residents, especially at night, which is why 177 also offers “thanks for your continued support of the Jersey Devils” in its announcement.

The “Jersey Devils” have long been the nickname of New Jersey’s Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing, inspired by the same winged cryptid that gives its name to the professional hockey team. For centuries, local legends have held that this legendary creature has inhabited New Jersey’s famed Pine Barrens, the state’s largest wildlife sanctuary. Southern New Jersey is home to Atlantic City International Airport, which is where the 177th Fighter Wing is based. The airport itself is actually inland and only a few miles away from the coastal tourist mecca.

The 177th Fighter Wing has existed in one form or another since 1917, although it moved to Atlantic City International Airport in 1958 and was officially named the “177th Fighter Wing” in 1995. bombers used to go to American airfields. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the 177th flew patrol flights in and around New York City.

With a constitutionally mandated dual mission of serving the country and the state of New Jersey, the 177th Fighter Wing still needs to look after its ship and stay ready at a moment’s notice to jump into action – hence the upcoming training exercises. Despite being decades old at this point, the F-16s flown by the Jersey Devils are still very combat capable. Perhaps the F-16 could take over for Maryland’s nearby good, as the Maryland Air Guard currently has no jets to fly.