In 1985 as the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ramstein AB approached its fortieth year of service in Germany, the first F-16C Fighting Falcon arrived, and the 86 TFW began its conversion from the F-4E Phantom to the F16C/D Fighting Falcon. The 86 TFW became the first operational unit to receive this latest variation of the Fighting Falcon with the arrival of four Block 30 F-16Cs on 7 October 1985. On 7 July 1986, the last 86th TFW F-4E departed Ramstein.
During this transition The alert mission of the 86th TFW was temporarily taken over by several ANG units. These were formed under the Air National Guard Support Center Detachment 11 under the name “Creek Klaxon” from March 1, 1986 to April 6, 1987. Three ANG squadrons; the 178th FIS North Dakota, the 194th FIS California ANG and the 179th FIS Minnesota ANG each supplied three F-4Ds. All ANG F-4C / D squadrons provided staff on a rotational basis. On April 1, 1987, the Alert Missions was handed over back to the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing.
