Official Wild Weasel Patch - USAF Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) Mission Embroidered Patch, honoring the specialized crews and aircraft of Project Wild Weasel from Vietnam to the modern F-16CJ and F-35A era.
First in, last out — the Wild Weasel creed belongs to the crews who hunt SAM sites so the strike package can survive.
The Wild Weasel name traces directly to Project Wild Weasel, the United States Air Force program launched in 1965 in response to Soviet surface-to-air missiles downing American strike aircraft over North Vietnam. Initially codenamed Iron Hand, the mission evolved into a dedicated discipline: enter enemy airspace ahead of the main strike package, locate radar-guided SAM sites, draw their fire, and destroy them before they could engage friendly aircraft. The program cycled through the F-100F, F-105F and G Thunderchief, and the F-4G Phantom II before finding its modern home in the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon, which proved its worth during Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Today the mission continues under Joint SEAD doctrine, with F-16CM Wild Weasels at Misawa Air Base, Japan, transitioning toward F-35A Lightning II platforms. A weasel mascot nicknamed Willie has appeared on official and unofficial Wild Weasel patches since the Vietnam era, giving the insignia a recognizable identity that spans six decades of contested-airspace operations and multiple generations of aircrew who flew the most dangerous slot in any strike package.
Perfect For: USAF Wild Weasel veterans, SEAD mission aircrew, F-4G and F-16CJ enthusiasts, electronic warfare officers, 35th Fighter Wing alumni from Misawa Air Base, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom veterans, aviation historians, shadow box builders, challenge coin and patch board collectors, and anyone who wants a piece tied to one of the most demanding and storied missions in American air power history.
Wild Weasel heritage — stitched for the crews who flew first, flew low, and made the mission possible.
