Wreckage F-16 Fighting Falcons severely damaged After Hurricane Andrew.

Wreckage F-16 Fighting Falcons severely damaged After Hurricane Andrew.

These F-16s were based at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, which was devastated by Category 5 winds exceeding 165 mph (265 km/h).

Aircraft were torn from shelters, flipped, crushed by collapsed hangars, or struck by debris.

Over 30 aircraft were destroyed or damaged beyond repair

Nearly all base infrastructure was wiped out.

Homestead AFB became non-operational overnight.

The destruction directly led to the base’s closure as an active-duty fighter wing and later reopening as Homestead Air Reserve Base.

Hurricane Andrew remains one of the most destructive natural disasters to ever strike a U.S. military installation.

The event reshaped how the U.S. military hardens aircraft shelters and evacuates fleets ahead of major storms.