Eagle bath

Maintainers thoroughly wash an F-15 free of any residual hydraulic fluid and grime during the process of getting the jet prepared to be a static display for the Northwest Florida regional airport. The aircraft is the second of two 33rd Fighter Wing aircraft to be demilitarized so that it may be put on permanent display. Recently another jet was shipped to the USS Alabama battleship museum. To make sure it is safe for public use, maintainers gut the aircraft's weapons, explosive devices, ejection seat, engine and anything that holds fluid or is potentially hazardous. After the wash, they will spend one week sealing all openings and another week painting the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Chrissy Cuttita.)

USS Alabama

An F-15 from the 33rd Fighter Wing is driven out Eglin's west gate on a transfer truck to be taken to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile, Ala. June 6. The jet was the first of two that was demilitarized by wing maintainers to become permanent display aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Andrew Gamache.)

308 ARSW

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Two Miniature Air Launched Decoys are mounted on an 40th Flight Test Squadron F-16 for developmental testing in June 2008. (Air Force photo)

Dropping the 'Hammer'

An F-16 from the 55th Fighter Squadron from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. fires an AGM-65 at a ground target during a Combat Hammer mission during a two-week large-scale evaluation. Combat Hammer is also known as a Weapons System Evaluation Program for air-to-ground weapons. Almost every fighter in the Air Force inventory participated in the evaluation held at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, which also included bombers and unmanned aircraft systems. The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron executes the 'Hammer' missions by evaluating the entire weapons process from loading to flight to the target. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Amber House.)

Dropping the 'Hammer'

A KC-135 Stratotanker from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. refuels an F-22A Raptor from the 49th Fighter Wing from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., in midair during a Combat Hammer mission during a two-week large-scale evaluation. Combat Hammer is also known as a Weapons System Evaluation Program for air-to-ground weapons. Almost every fighter in the Air Force inventory participated in the evaluation held at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, which also included bombers and unmanned aircraft systems. The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron executes the 'Hammer' missions by evaluating the entire weapons process from loading to flight to the target. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Christopher Johnson.)

Dropping the 'Hammer'

An F-16 from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron releases a GBU-31during a Combat Hammer mission during a two-week large-scale evaluation at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Combat Hammer is also known as a Weapons System Evaluation Program for air-to-ground weapons. Almost every fighter in the Air Force inventory participated in the evaluation, which also included bombers and unmanned aircraft systems. The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron executes the 'Hammer' missions by evaluating the entire weapons process from loading to flight to the target. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. John Krellner.)