About 200 members of the 140th Wing will be sent on a three-month mission in support of the U.S. Air Force and the nation's War on Terror in the Mideast. Officials say they cannot be specific about where they are going because of security rules.
"As a wing, we have been preparing for this very important deployment over the past several months and anticipate a smooth departure as we support the ongoing operations in the Middle East," Brig. Gen. Trulan Eyre, commander of the 140th Wing said in a statement.
The deployment falls during the holiday season. The men and women of the 140th Wing will miss some significant holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, and New Year's.
In a written statement, officials said the F-16s will support national security and stability in the Mideast. Officials declined to say how many aircraft will go.
The Colorado F-16s are sometimes called on by the North American Aerospace Defense Command to intercept commercial aircraft that fly into restricted areas or whose pilots don't respond to traffic controllers.