 Like the Navy , the Air Force has operated QF @-@ 4 target drones , serving with the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida , and Holloman Air Force Base , New Mexico . It was expected that the F @-@ 4 would remain in the target role with the 82d <unk> until at least 2015 , when they would be replaced by early versions of the F @-@ 16 Fighting Falcon converted to a QF @-@ 16 configuration . Several QF @-@ 4s also retain capability as manned aircraft and are maintained in historical color schemes , being displayed as part of Air Combat Command 's Heritage Flight at air shows , base open houses , and other events while serving as non @-@ expendable target aircraft during the week . On 19 November 2013 , BAE Systems delivered the last QF @-@ 4 aerial target to the Air Force . The example had been in storage for over 20 years before being converted . Over 16 years , BAE had converted 314 F @-@ 4 and RF @-@ 4 Phantom IIs into QF @-@ 4s and QRF @-@ 4s , with each aircraft taking six months to adapt . As of December 2013 , QF @-@ 4 and QRF @-@ 4 aircraft had flown over 16 @,@ 000 manned and 600 unmanned training sorties , with 250 unmanned aircraft being shot down in firing exercises . The remaining QF @-@ 4s and QRF @-@ 4s held their training role until the first of 126 QF @-@ 16s were delivered by Boeing . The final flight of an Air Force QF @-@ 4 from Tyndall AFB took place on 27 May 2015 to Holloman AFB . After Tyndall AFB ceased operations , the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group at Holloman became the fleet of 22 QF @-@ 4s ' last remaining operator . The base will continue using them to fly manned test and unmanned live fire test support and Foreign Military Sales testing until January 2017 , when the remaining airframes will be demilitarized . 
