The new paint scheme of Top Aces’ F-16 mimics that of the Russian Su-57 “Felon” fighter jet.

On Aug. 4, 2025, one of Top Aces’ former Israeli Air Force F-16A Netz aircraft was spotted flying for the first time with an eye-catching new adversary paint scheme. The livery is clearly inspired by the Russian Su-57 and has been dubbed the “Felon paint job.”

The aircraft flew from Mesa Gateway Airport, where Top Aces performs maintenance on its F-16s, to Luke AFB, Arizona, as ACES 51 . It then carried out a local mission from Luke over Arizona under the callsign ACES 1. The mission could be tracked online on flight tracking websites Flightradar24.com and ADSBExchange.com.

One or two photos of the jet being wheeled out of the paint barn at Mesa had surfaced online, but its return to Luke

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