In the early morning of Dec. 31, an F-16 Fighting Falcon sits on the hot cargo pad at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The aircraft is tethered to secure it in place before a full afterburner engine run-up.

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In the early morning of Dec. 31, an F-16 Fighting Falcon sits on the hot cargo pad at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The aircraft is tethered to secure it in place before a full afterburner engine run-up.

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Size: 3663px × 2320px
Photo credit: © 508 collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -16, -9, 31, afterburner, air, aircraft, airmen, airplane, balad, base, cargo, dec., early, engine, f16, falcon, fighting, force, forces, full, hot, iraq, iraq., jet, joint, morning, pad, pilot, place, plane, run-., secure, security, sits, tethered