 Starting in January 2002 the 170th FS deployed for two weeks to Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona for final training with the LITENING pod.Initially the deployment in March 2002 was to be with two other ANG units but this changed due to Operation Noble Eagle air defense commitments.As a result, the 170th FS deployed by itself as the 170th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (170 EFS).