Top Aces Welcomes First F-16s to Mesa, AZ

Top Aces Corp. has announced the arrival of its first batch of F-16 fighters to the company’s F-16 Center of Excellence in Mesa, Arizona. Under the U.S. Air Force IDIQ contract, Top Aces will begin providing its unmatched adversary training for the USAF, U.S. Navy and DoD in 2021.

Top Aces is the first commercial provider in the world to offer the supersonic F-16. The upgraded fleet of F-16s are able to employ an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, tactical datalink and high off boresight missile capability to provide unparalleled adversary air training.

“Our vision is to be the most trusted provider of innovative combat training solutions in a highly specialized industry where experience matters,” said Top Aces Corp. President Russ Quinn, a 26-year USAF veteran and previous Aggressor pilot with over 3,300 F-16 flight hours. “We acquired our fleet of F-16s in order to fulfill our vision of training the next generation of combat leaders here in the U.S.”

“For the past fifteen years, Top Aces has effectively and affordably trained air force leaders throughout the world. We’re excited to join with the USAF and bring both professional and highly credible adversary air capability to the U.S.,” added Mr. Quinn.

For further information, please visit www.topaces.us.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.