Ladder ops

A maintainer with the 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., waits to bring the ladder to the recently returned F-16 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. The F-16s were brought here to provide familiarization training to the 33rd Fighter Wing pilots prior to the arrival of the F-35 and to establish a “battle rhythm” for the 33rd flightline operations. Currently, Marines and Air Force pilots are completing daily sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Aircraft crossing

F-16s from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., taxi in after a morning sortie mission at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. The F-16s were brought here to provide familiarization training to the 33rd Fighter Wing pilots prior to the arrival of the F-35 and to establish a “battle rhythm” for the 33rd flightline operations. Currently, Marines and Air Force pilots are completing daily sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Silencio

A C-12 Huron sits in the anechoic chamber at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The aircraft was part of a joint retrofitting test mission among the Army, Navy and Air Force to test their electronic warfare systems. The Army provided the aircraft that housed the Navy's electronic countermeasure systems, which was tested by the Air Force. An anechoic chamber is a room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves. They are also insulated from exterior sources of noise. The The Joint Preflight Integration of Munitions and Electronic Systems, a subsidiary of the 46th Test Wing, has hosted similar joint test missions for more than five years in the chamber. JPRIMES provides an environment to facilitate testing air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions and electronics systems on full-scale aircraft and land vehicles prior to open air testing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Wild blue

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 40th Flight Test Squadron tests a weapon over the Gulf of Mexico Feb. 8. The mission tested the capabilities of the Miniature Air Launch Decoy-Jammer. The Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer is an air-launched programmable craft that duplicates the combat flight profiles and signatures of U.S. and allied aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago)

Lift off

A CV-22 Osprey from the 413th Flight Test Squadron begins to lift off from Duke Field Feb. 11. The 413th FTS is a squadron of the 46th Test Wing stationed at Hurlburt Field. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.)

Tail spotting

A CV-22 Osprey from the 413th Flight Test Squadron touches down as a 919th Special Operations Wing MC-130E Talon waits to be launched at Duke Field Feb. 11. The 413th FTS is a squadron of the 46th Test Wing stationed at Hurlburt Field. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.)

On the ground, in the air

A CV-22 Osprey from the 413th Flight Test Squadron flies overhead as the 919th Special Operations Wing MC-130E Talons wait to be launched Feb. 11 at Duke Field. The 413th FTS is a squadron of the 46th Test Wing stationed at Hurlburt Field. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.)

Standing guard

The F-16 flag ship and a QF-4 were just some of the aircraft on display during the 53rd Wing’s 70th birthday celebration Feb. 3 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Six different aircraft types representing just a few of the airframes the 53rd Wing use to conduct their mission of operational testing and evaluation were on display. The wing was activated Jan. 15, 1941. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

The hook up

A 46th Test Wing F-15E Strike Eagle moves into position for refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker from 927th Air Refueling Wing Jan. 18. The F-15E made its first flight with a new radar – the APG-82. It replaces the 24-year-old APG-70 radar system. The four-year-old project is managed by the F-15E Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Felicia Welch)

Blue view

A 46th Test Wing F-15E Strike Eagle carries a new radar system on its first flight sortie Jan. 18. The new APG-82 radar replaces the 24-year-old APG-70 radar system. The four-year-old project is managed by the F-15E Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Felicia Welch)

Show me the way

Airman 1st Class Christopher Pizzitola, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, marshals Lt. Col. John Wilbourne, 58th Fighter Squadron commander, and his F-16 out at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 18. Colonel Wilbourne and Maj. Matthew Renbarger, 58th FS deputy of operations, flew the first sortie for the 33rd Fighter Wing since it switched to its new training mission designation. The mission was a long-time coming for the former F-15 wing that transitioned to the DoD’s first F-35 training wing in October 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Andrew Caulk)

Big brother

An F-16 waits for clearance as an F-15E Strike Eagle taxis in the distance at Eglin Air Force Base Fla., Jan. 18. Both aircraft belong to the 46th Test Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Push

Afterburners burn bright as they move the 46th Test Wing F-15E Strike Eagle down the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 18. The Strike Eagle flew the first ever sortie with the new APG-82 radar. The new radar replaces the 24-year-old APG-70 radar system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Into place

F-15E maintainers from the 46th Maintenance Group move into place as their aircraft taxis toward them for a final check before takeoff from Eglin Air Force Base Fla., Jan. 18. The Strike Eagle flew the first ever sortie with the new APG-82 radar. The new radar replaces the 24-year-old APG-70 radar system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Under the radar

Steve Coleman, F-15E crew chief, completes last minute checks underneath the plane prior to it taxiing out from Eglin Air Force Base’s flightline, Jan. 18. The Strike Eagle flew the first ever sortie with the new APG-82 radar. The new radar replaces the 24-year-old APG-70 radar system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Finally

Maj. Craig Andrle, 62nd Fighter Squadron, steps down from an F-16 upon arrival to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 13. Four F-16s from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., were brought to the wing to help prepare the pilots and maintainers for the imminent arrival of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

New arrival

Lt. Col. J.D. Wilbourne, 58th Fighter Squadron commander, greets 33rd Fighter Wing leadership upon arrival to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 13. Four F-16s from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., were brought to the wing to help prepare the pilots and maintainers for the imminent arrival of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

F-4

The QF-4, typically used as a aerial target drone in Combat Archer missions, was given a new mission late last year called banner tow. The aircraft pulls a long banner in the air while other aircraft use it in aerial gunnery training. The only F-4s still actively used in the Air Force fall under the 53rd Wing and are located at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla, and Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. (Courtesy photo/Jake Melampy)

Predator

Two units in the 53rd Wing, headquartered here, assisted with an unmanned aircraft system demonstration testing U.S. manned and unmanned joint force capabilities against airborne UAS.the Blue Knight 2010 demonstration, led by the U.S. Joint Unmanned Aircraft System Center of Excellence, focused on the future of UAS, particularly looking at the vision of joint force operations and developing tactics, techniques and procedures to improve ability of joint warfighters to operate and to understand capabilities of adversary UAS.

Out of water

Tech. Sgt.s Tom Piening, 33rd Maintenance Squadron, and Mark Bryant, 96th Security Forces Squadron, performs push-ups on the side of the pool during the pilot deep water running class in October. Classes will be open to all military beginning Nov. 22. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Samuel King Jr.)

Slight adjustment

Robert Owens, 796th Civil Engineer Squadron, prepares to slide the new F-35 Lightning II static display into place in front of the 53rd Wing building Nov. 3. The static display compliments the F-22 display on the left side of the entrance. The 53rd Wing will be responsible for the operational testing of the F-35 aircraft. (Air Force photo/ Samuel King Jr.)

A little higher

Robert Owens, 796th Civil Engineer Squadron, gives direction to the lift driver while centering up the new F-35 Lightning II static display in front of the 53rd Wing building Nov. 3. The static display compliments the F-22 display on the left side of the entrance. The 53rd Wing will be responsible for the operational testing of the F-35 aircraft. (Air Force photo/ Samuel King Jr.)

Canadian hornet

A Canadian Air Force CF-18 flies over the Eglin Air Force Base range during an air-to-ground Weapons System Evaluation mission. The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron conducts the WSEP program at Eglin. The WSEP program is used to evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of combat air force weapon systems. The evaluations are accomplished during tactical deliveries of fighter, bomber and unmanned aerial system precision guided munitions, on realistic targets with air-to-air and surface-to-air defenses. For many of the aircrew participating in WSEP, it is the first time employing live weapons. This provides a level of combat experience many units face during combat. Courtesy photo.

Turn & burn

A Canadian Air Force CF-18 flies over the Eglin Air Force Base range during an air-to-ground Weapons System Evaluation mission. The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron conducts the WSEP program at Eglin. The WSEP program is used to evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of combat air force weapon systems. The evaluations are accomplished during tactical deliveries of fighter, bomber and unmanned aerial system precision guided munitions, on realistic targets with air-to-air and surface-to-air defenses. For many of the aircrew participating in WSEP, it is the first time employing live weapons. This provides a level of combat experience many units face during combat. Courtesy photo.