Lead aircraft into the ground. The airshow season for that year was canceled and it was also decided to equip the squadron with the Block 15 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon and start over for 1983. In 1992, the squadron was upgraded to the Block 32 F-16C/D, and in 2009 to the Block 52 F-16C/D. Fourth generation jet fighter aircraft The late 1970s through 1992 were a transition era for most TAC fighter wings, replacing their third generation Vietnam-Era fighter and attack aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, General Dynamics F-111, and LTV A-7 Corsair II with fourth generation fighter aircraft like the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II). The F-15A/B and subsequent F-15C/D were designed for the air superiority role, which was not really filled since the North American F-86 Sabre entered the USAF inventory in the 1950s. Conversely, the F-16 was designed for a multi-mission fighter-bomber role, replacing the F-4D/Es, while the A-10 was designed to fill the close air support mission of the A-7D. Although developed and initially deployed in the late 1970s, budgetary constraints limited their deployment into the active duty forces. The Reagan Administration embarked on a massive overhaul of the United States armed forces and large numbers of these aircraft were ordered and deployed to front line active duty Air Force wings beginning in 1983. The upgrade was not limited to first line USAF units, as beginning in 1985, Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Force Reserve (AFRES) units also began trading in their Vietnam Era aircraft for newer and more sophisticated weapons systems with F-16A/Bs being allocated to Guard and Reserve units as active duty Air Force units upgraded to the F-16C/Ds models. F-15A/B models of the 1970s were also provided to ANG squadrons when newer F-15C/D models reached front-line wings. As A-10s replaced A-7s, A-37s and OV-10s in the Regular Air Force, the A-7 and A-37 close air support aircraft, along with newly produced twin-seat A-7Ks, were flown by many ANG squadrons, often training with both Regular Army and Army National Guard combat units in ground support operations. The last A-7D/Ks were retired in 1993, being replaced in the ANG by A-10s and F-16C/Ds. In 1984, a new version of the 1960s General Dynamics F-111 also began equipping select TAC and USAFE units. This version, known as the EF-111A Raven, was modified