46th weapons load competition

Senior Airman Hector Vazquez, from the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, adjusts the GBU-12 onto the aircraft during the 46th Maintenance Group’s fourth quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 21. The best of Blue AMU and Red AMU met to load an AIM-9 and GBU-12 onto an F-16 and F-15 respectively. AMU Red won the competition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Randy Gon)

46th weapons load competition

Airman 1st Class Adrian Justice, from the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, adjusts the GBU-12 onto the aircraft during the 46th Maintenance Group’s fourth quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 21. The best of Blue AMU and Red AMU met to load an AIM-9 and GBU-12 onto an F-16 and F-15 respectively. AMU Red won the competition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Randy Gon)

46th weapons load competition

Staff Sgt. William Merritt, 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew leader, helps his Blue AMU team mount the AIM-9 during the 46th Maintenance Group’s fourth quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 21. The best of Blue AMU and Red AMU met to load an AIM-9 and GBU-12 onto an F-16 and F-15 respectively. AMU Red won the competition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Randy Gon)

46th weapons load competition

Airman 1st Class Christopher Rose, of the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, prepares the aircraft during the 46th Maintenance Group’s fourth quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 21. The best of Blue AMU and Red AMU met to load an AIM-9 and GBU-12 onto an F-16 and F-15 respectively. AMU Red won the competition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Randy Gon)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Tom Seymour, above, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot assigned to the 46th Test Wing and Senior Airman Paige Nelson, below, assigned to the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as a crew chief, prepare for a flight in support of Exercise Vigilant Shield 12 at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West is the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kamaile O. Long/Released)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Leo Oliphant, assigned to the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) as a crew chief, gives the signal to an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot to hold breaks prior to a training flight in support of Exercise Vigilant Shield 12 at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West is the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. The 46th AMXS is from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kamaile O. Long/Released)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Paige Nelson, assigned to the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) as a crew chief, completes a safety checklist for an F-16 Fighting Falcon prior to departure in support of Exercise Vigilant Shield 12 at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West is the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. The 46th AMXS is from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kamaile O. Long/Released)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Leo Oliphant, assigned to the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) as a crew chief, gives the signal to an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot to hold breaks prior to a training flight in support of Exercise Vigilant Shield 12 at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West is the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. The 46th AMXS is from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kamaile O. Long/Released)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Maj. James Geoppinger completes his preflight check of a F-16 Fighting Falcon for a mission during exercise Vigilant Shield 12 on Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West will be the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis J. Henry Jr.)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jon Peek, crew chief, from the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, blue aircraft maintenance unit , Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., prepares a F-16 Fighting Falcon for a mission during exercise Vigilant Shield 12 on Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West will be the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis J. Henry Jr.)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jam Baro, crew chief, from the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, blue aircraft maintenance unit, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., prepares a F-16 Fighting Falcon for a mission during exercise Vigilant Shield 12 on Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West will be the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis J. Henry Jr.)

Vigilant Shield

U.S. Air Force Maj. James Geoppinger completes his preflight check of a F-16 Fighting Falcon for a mission during exercise Vigilant Shield 12 on Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., Nov. 6, 2011. The exercise in Key West will be the "first-ever proof of concept" for the military's Joint Deployable Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, a collection of high-end radars and missile systems as well as aircraft that work in tandem in the event of a threat to the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis J. Henry Jr.)

Huey mission

A UH-1 Huey from the 40th Flight Test Squadron takes off from a range on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Sept. 15. During the training mission, flight engineers practiced using the rope ladder and cargo sling. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago).

337 TES tests B-1 maritime readiness

Airmen from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron prepare for their flight to test maritime readiness at the Gulf of Mexico Sept. 15, 2011 at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The 337 TES will embark on a first-ever test of a B-1 Bomber’s maritime capabilities with laser-guided weaponry testing range in the Gulf of Mexico. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan Stefanko/ Released)

Twin JSF arrival

Tech. Sgt. Matthew Burch and Staff Sgt. Jason Westberry, from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, review post operations tasks on their Portable Maintenance Aid after the fourth F-35 Lightning II taxied into its new home at Eglin. The Airmen are among the first Department of Defense maintainers trained by Lockheed Martin logistics support personnel in the joint strike fighter's recovery and inspection procedures. Both aircraft in the photo arrived here Aug. 31 in a four-ship formation with Lockheed Martin pilots flying the F-35As and F-16 escorts piloted by the wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

Twin JSF arrival

Senior Airman Arthur Verchot prepares an F-35 Lightning II cockpit for tow operations, part of his duties as one of the few trained in recovering the Air Force's newest aircraft at the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The aircraft his team recovered was for the fourth delivery of the joint strike fighter to the 33rd Fighter Wing. With the assistance of Lockheed Martin logistics support, two Air Force three-man recovery teams are currently trained to support aircraft arrival with an additional fourteen Airmen trained in towing the jet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chrissy Cuttita)

Twin JSF arrival

Another F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter arrived at Eglin with a 33rd Fighter Wing piloted F-16 escorting the jet to their new home Aug. 31. It was one of two aircraft delivered to Eglin that day by Lockheed Martin, bringing the total count of the fifth generation fighter aircraft here to four. The jets here are used for JSF maintenance training until all certifications are complete. More F-35s are scheduled to arrive at Eglin this year, including at least one short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant, BF-6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago)

Twin JSF arrival

Two more F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighters were delivered to Eglin with 33rd Fighter Wing piloted F-16s escorting the jets to their new home Aug. 31. Labeled as AF-10 and AF-11 by Lockheed Martin, the JSFs bring the total count of the fifth generation fighter aircraft here to four. The aircraft here are used for JSF maintenance training until all certifications are complete. More F-35s are scheduled to arrive at Eglin this year, including at least one short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant, BF-6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chrissy Cuttita)

Return trip

The 113th Wing flagship F-16 Fighting Falcon, from the District of Columbia Air National Guard, taxis out toward the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., returning home to Washington, Aug. 29. The F-16s arrived here Aug. 26 as an evacuation measure from the impending Hurricane Irene. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago)

Return trip

An F-16 Fighting Falcon, from the District of Columbia Air National Guard, taxis out toward the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., returning home to Washington, Aug. 29. The F-16s arrived here Aug. 26 as an evacuation measure from the impending Hurricane Irene. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago)

Return trip

An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, with the District of Columbia Air National Guard, prepares the aircraft to return home to Washington, Aug. 29 from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-16s arrived here Aug. 26 as an evacuation measure from the impending Hurricane Irene. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago)

JSF rollout

An attendee snaps a quick picture of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter after its official rollout ceremony Aug. 26 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

JSF rollout

Eglin's honor guard brings in the colors during the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter's official rollout ceremony here Aug. 26. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

JSF rollout

Gen. Edward Rice, the Air Education and Training Command commander, speaks to the crowd of 33rd Fighter Wing members and state and local leaders during the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter rollout ceremony Aug. 26 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)