The 163rd Tactical Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard's 122nd Fighter Wing, located at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. The 163rd is currently transitioning from the F-4E Phantom II to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. This is representative of Blacksnakes F-4E AF68-0042 in the final months of the squadrons F-4 service in 1991 during the start of their F-16 transition.
In 1986 the F-4Cs were replaced with more up-to-date F-4E Phantom IIs. In 1989, the squadron again deployed to Southwest Asia for exercise "Coronet Brave" in conjunction with "Bright Star". The unit continued its standard of excellence by supporting Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm with deployments to Saudi Arabia by the Security Police, January through June 1991, and to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, by the Tactical Hospital in September/October 1991. The squadron started receiving their first F-16C/D Fighting Falcon aircraft in 1991.
