Full-Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) Program 1990 to 1998
82d Tactical Aerial Targets Squadron
75th Weapons Evaluation Group
White Sands Missile Range / Holloman AFB, NM / Tyndall AFB, FL
82d Tactical Aerial Targets Squadron
75th Weapons Evaluation Group
White Sands Missile Range / Holloman AFB, NM / Tyndall AFB, FL
In 1986, a contract was awarded to Flight Systems Inc., later Honeywell, to modify 194 surplus Delta Darts stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona to QF-106 target drone configuration. This program came to be known as the "Pacer Six" program with the first flight of a converted drone in July of 1987. The contractor removed the pilot cockpits and installed remote-control systems.
Of the 194 expected, 182 F-106's were actually converted to QF-106 Aerial Target Drones. They were all assigned to the 475th Weapons Evaluation Group (WEG), most used by the 82d Tactical Aerial Targets Squadron (TATS) at Tyndall AFB Florida.
The intention of the program was for the QF-106 to survive repeated engagements with air-to-air missiles, to make it possible for each QF-106 to last as long as possible before it was destroyed.
Following the completion of an initial batch of 10 QF-106s in 1990, most of the work was transferred to the USAF itself. Much of the conversion work was done before the aircraft were removed from storage at AMARC, with further work being carried out at East St Louis, Illinois.
The QF-106s began operating as a Full-Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) in late 1991 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and later at the Eglin Gulf Test Range in Florida, based at Holloman and Tyndall. A typical mission would employ the QF-106 as a target for an infrared homing missile. The aircraft had burners placed on pylons underneath the wings to act as IR sources for heat-seeking missiles, but it must be admitted that no real enemy would be so accommodating as to add these burners to make their planes better targets.
The last shoot down was of QF-106B 57-2524 at Holloman AFB on February 20, 1997. The QF-106 was replaced by QF-4 Phantom, which were eventually replaced by the currently used QF-16 (as of Oct 2026).
In the course of active operations, QF106 drone ops went through January of 1998. There were several flyable survivors which were able to return to AMARC for storage and eventually became static displays. See more on the Static Display page.
By CMSgt (Ret) Dick Lewis
In the spring of 1998, the last of the 'flyable' QF-106's departed Tyndall AFB for their final destinations. Aircraft 59-0158, 59-0043 and 58-0774 flew to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, while 59-0023 flew to the museum at Dover AFB. Left behind, were seven non-flyable QF-106's, sadly relegated to the backline "Swamp" storage area of the Tyndall ramp. These seven F-106 airframes parked in the Swamp became known as Swamp Things. Read more about these survivors on our Static Display page