Fighter Drag over Northern California (Ident?)

SO a friend sent me this picture for identification. To my eye it looks like 5 F-16 being dragged by a KC-10 Extender. Its not a great pic and enhancing it really did not do much. The aircraft in question were traveling SSE over Northern California near Discovery Bay. Discovery Bay is about 54 miles south east of Travis AFB Google maps

After looking at it for a while, Im pretty sure about the tanker. Both the KC-767J and the KC-46 have wing mounted pods and the Pegasus just completed its first refuel of a F-16 a few days ago. The fighters on the other hand, could they be F-18? I was sure they were 16's but when I blew up the picture its hard to decide if its just pixels or the have a bit of a cobra like chine. Their course suggest that they are heading towards Nellis AFB where Red Flag 16-1 is underway. The Aussies are coming with multiple models of the F-18 to play. The F-16 units that are tasked for 16-1 are coming from Nellis and the East Coast. They could be Eielson Air Force Base or just a routine movement unrelated to RedFlag. Thoughts

edit to add: I'm pretty sure its not a KC-30A either as the wings are not right for it.

a reply to: FredT
I have no clue, man. Zaphod would be your best bet on that.

not an Airbus being escorted, I don't guess......Zaph, come to us...

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: FredT
I have no clue, man. Zaphod would be your best bet on that.

yep he is the gold standard Im pretty confident on my initial analysis but second opinions are always good LOL

a reply to: FredT
It doesn't look like he's on. Too bad. You got me interested and I wanted to know what he'd say.

Hey, let's go over to one of his thread`s and see if he can come out and play...!!!!

that there machine has two engines.....maybe three if it's a L-1011....I don't know about military inventory at all, huh!!!

KC-10 and F-18 (s) by the looks to me

Hey there ....is a KC 10 , a DC 10?

originally posted by: GBP/JPY
Hey there ....is a KC 10 , a DC 10?

It is the modified Airforce version of the DC-10

a reply to: FredT

Aircraft no.5 is sacked from the Blue Angels for that position...they look like F-16s me

a reply to: FredT

Definitely f-16's, not wide enough at the back for the double engines of the f-18's

a reply to: FredT

KC-10 and and either Bugs or Rhinos. Leaning towards Rhinos.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I'm thinking Rhino's too. Look pretty big for bugs.

a reply to: Zaphod58

hey zaph! another question for you. may be samm has the answer, you know about this sorta stuff. whats the main improvement from the hornet (bug) and the super hornet (rhino)

also on occasion when I'm down in long beach I'll see a pair of f18s cruising slowly around. seems like they are checking the aircraft or training a new pilot or something because the birds are flown gently and slowely. any idea where they are coming from. do they build the hornets or service them near long beach.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

They're a third again larger. They're assembled in St Louis.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

The Super Hornet is quite a bit larger than the regular Hornets. It has a little longer legs and can carry more weight than the C-D model Hornets.

a reply to: FredT

it's hard to tell with that pic.

normally you can tell the two apart by the rear tail wings.

in the f-16 they are straight.

on the f-18 they are swept back some.

a reply to: grey580

Look at the wing root. That's an F-18.

a reply to: Zaphod58

yep and they got two stabilizers. f18.

samm, thanks for posting that pic showing the difference. I just learned something. very cool.

I think you guys are right, not only are they 18's but likely rhinos. the wing roots look much bigger and thicker than the hornets.