Fighting Falcon

An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot soars over the Gulf of Mexico during a sortie with F-35A Lightning IIs from the 33rd Fighter Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Edward Schmitt)

JSF X 4

A four-ship of F-35A Lightning IIs flies over the Gulf of Mexico Feb. 1 before returning to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Pilots with the 33rd Fighter Wing began flying the formation the first time here last week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Edward Schmitt)

POD testing

Maj. Olivia Elliott, of the 40th Flight Test Squadron, climbs into her A-10 Thunderbolt II prior to a test mission Jan. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Her mission was to wrap up flight testing of the new Net-T software upgrade on the LITENING II advanced targeting pod. The new upgrade allows the pod to provide ground forces beyond-line-of-sight command and control capabilities as long as the aircraft is within range. This is the first-ever test of this new capability. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

POD testing

Maj. Olivia Elliott, of the 40th Flight Test Squadron, completes preflight checks of her A-10 Thunderbolt II prior to a test mission Jan. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Her mission was to wrap up flight testing of the new Net-T software upgrade on the LITENING II advanced targeting pod. The new upgrade allows the pod to provide ground forces beyond-line-of-sight command and control capabilities as long as the aircraft is within range. This is the first-ever test of this new capability. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

QF-4s

A pair of F-4s, from the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron Det. 1, soars through the skies over Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., during a recent sortie. The QF-4s are used a target drones by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group at Holloman and at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. They are remotely flown during the air-to-air weapons system evaluation program known as Combat Archer. Pilots gain valuable air combat training and experience targeting and firing missiles at the drone aircraft. The QF-4 will eventually be replaced by the QF-16, currently undergoing developmental testing at Tyndall. The 53rd WEG is a geographically separated unit of the 53rd Wing headquartered at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Courtesy photo/Gary Wetzel)

QF-4s

A pair of F-4s, from the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron Det. 1, soars through the skies over Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., during a recent sortie. The QF-4s are used a target drones by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group at Holloman and at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. They are remotely flown during the air-to-air weapons system evaluation program known as Combat Archer. Pilots gain valuable air combat training and experience targeting and firing missiles at the drone aircraft. The QF-4 will eventually be replaced by the QF-16, currently undergoing developmental testing at Tyndall. The 53rd WEG is a geographically separated unit of the 53rd Wing headquartered at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Courtesy photo/Gary Wetzel)