The 148th Fighter Wing, the Minnesota Air National Guard unit in Duluth, deployed approximately 300 members to Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, from 5 through 11 August 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The deployment, scheduled to last for two months, marks the 148th FW's first mission with the Block 50 F-16, as well as the unit’s first aviation package deployment to Afghanistan. Known as the Bulldogs, the 148th FW is slated to provide close air support for coalition ground forces. The unit began the conversion process to the Block 50 F-16 from the Block 25 aircraft in April 2010, and declared the conversion complete on 1 April 2012.
