The Birth of the Scottish Air Force and the F-16AT “Thistle”

Independence and the Search for Wings

With the formal declaration of Scottish independence on 30 November 2019, the newly founded government in Edinburgh faced a difficult reality: while treaties divided monetary assets, naval infrastructure, and British Army units, Scotland received no operational combat aircraft. The Royal Air Force retained all active squadrons, leaving the Alba Air Defence Force—soon renamed Scottish Air Force (SAF)—as little more than an administrative entity.

Recognizing the need to secure national airspace, the Scottish government negotiated with the United States. By early 2020, 16 decommissioned F-16C Block 40 Fighting Falcons were acquired from USAF storage at Davis-Monthan. Though airworthy, their avionics and airframes were outdated against potential adversaries.

Prestwick Revival and the “Thistle” Project

To modernize the aircraft, the historic Scottish Aviation Works at Prestwick, dormant since the Jetstream era, was reactivated. Under the leadership of Chief Engineer William MacLeod of Clan MacLeod, Project Thistle was launched.

The modifications were radical:

• Twin-vertical tail fins replaced the original single stabilizer for enhanced high-AOA control.

• Forward canard surfaces were added for improved maneuverability at low speeds and tight turns—fitting Scotland’s rugged coastal air defence needs.

• Reinforced wing roots and modified fly-by-wire system adapted the F-16 to its new aerodynamics.

• Updated avionics suites and Scottish-developed radar software, optimized for North Sea surveillance.

The trade-off was a reduction of top speed by approximately 15%, but in exchange, agility was significantly improved—particularly in dogfighting and interception roles.

First Flight and Operational Service

On August 15, 2020, the prototype F-16AT (Alba Tactical) took to the skies over the Firth of Clyde. Squadron Leader Conner Wallace famously reported after landing:

“It felt like riding a dragon through the Highlands.”

By January 2021, the first operational No. 1 “Stag” Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth (renamed Moray Air Station), received its initial aircraft. All 16 fighters were gradually updated to the AT standard.

Early Confrontations: North and South

From the first day in service, the SAF faced pressure on two fronts:

1. Northern Front – Russian Test Flights
Russian Tu-95 Bears and Il-38 reconnaissance aircraft regularly tested Scottish airspace over the North Sea. The F-16AT’s high climb rate and agile radar tracking proved vital—intercepts became routine within weeks.

2. Southern Frontier – Tensions with the RAF
Along the Anglo-Scottish border, RAF Eurofighter Typhoons conducted low-level patrols, signaling London’s refusal to recognize Scottish air sovereignty fully. However, on 22 January 2021, two RAF Typhoons were intercepted near Carter Bar by a pair of F-16ATs. The unexpected presence of the modified fighters caused surprise in London media and RAF command alike. No missiles were fired, but both sides locked radars—an event now referred to as “The Border Standoff.”

Legacy

By late 2022, the F-16AT—nicknamed “Brùnaidh” (Gaelic: Brownie, the guardian) or more popularly “Thistle-Falcon”—became the national symbol of Scottish defiance and engineering independence. Plans for a domestically developed successor, codenamed Fáinne (Ring of Steel), were announced in 2023.

The model shows a Scottish Airforce F16AT of the First Air Dragoons in February 2021 with a Anti-Air load out.