Up in smoke

An F-16 Fighting Falcon explodes, sending debris and shrapnel into the air Aug. 19 on the Eglin Air Force Base range. The explosion was a static test of the flight termination system to be used in the QF-16. The purpose was to demonstrate that the FTS design will be sufficient to immediately terminate the flight of a QF-16, as well as determine a range safety debris footprint. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Split

An explosion ripped the F-16 Fighting Falcon into two pieces and scattered debris across the Eglin Air Force Base range Aug. 19. The explosion was a test of the flight termination system to be used in the QF-16. The purpose was to demonstrate that the FTS design will be sufficient to immediately terminate the flight of a QF-16, as well as determine a range safety debris footprint. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Storm coming

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 40th Flight Test Squadron awaits its fiery fate Aug. 19 on the Eglin Air Force Base range. The aircraft was exploded as part of a test of the flight termination system to be used in the QF-16. The purpose was to demonstrate that the FTS design will be sufficient to immediately terminate the flight of a QF-16, as well as determine a range safety debris footprint. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Broken

An explosion ripped an F-16 Fighting Falcon into two pieces and scattered debris across the Eglin range Aug. 19. The explosion was a test of the flight termination system to be used in the QF-16. The purpose was to demonstrate that the FTS design will be sufficient to immediately terminate the flight of a QF-16, as well as determine a range safety debris footprint. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Fighting falcon

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 79th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., releases a Guided Bomb Unit-12 during a Weapons System Evaluation Program mission at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. This is the second of three weeks of evaluation at Hill AFB by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group. 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.

Wingmen

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Two of the Air Force Thunderbirds F-16s perform an inverted pass while three others come around for another pass during the practice show April 9 here. The weekend airshow drew more than 70,000 people each day. The T-birds headlined the show. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Anthony Jennings)