The 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina — also known as the “Gamblers” — has deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
The 378th Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan said in a Facebook post Wednesday morning that the squadron and its contingent of F-16 Vipers had arrived, and posted photos of the fighters landing and airmen arriving. The unit will support the wing’s mission of “sustaining and defending joint partner forces,” the wing said on Facebook.
Later that day, the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw said in a news release that the squadron’s airpower would “increase regional stability and security.”
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“Our Team Shaw airmen are going downrange to deliver dominant airpower and execute a mission of national, regional and global importance,” wing commander Col. Lawrence Sullivan said in the release. “This deployment is an example of our commitment to provide strategic depth, resiliency and operational agility to our international allies and partners in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.”
Shaw also posted its own photos of the squadron’s Oct. 9 departure.
“The Gamblers are ready to patrol the skies, deliver precision airstrikes and train alongside regional partners to maximize capabilities in regards to mutual security concerns,” squadron commander Lt. Col. David Bennett said in the release.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
