F-15Es, F-16s, and F-22s employed live air-to-air missiles in addition to flying air-to-air missions against adversaries during a recent Combat Archer at Tyndall AFB, Fla. “The evaluation was very successful,” said Capt. Joseph Valdez,? a pilot with Tyndall’s 495th Fighter Group, Det. 93 in a Feb. 17 release. “It not only gave first-time shooters experience in firing live missiles, but the air-to-air training with the Strike Eagles was also very beneficial,” he added. “We also had the opportunity to engage in large force exercises with F-22s and F-15Es where we were defending a point against other F-16s, F-15Es, and T-38s. It was very high-quality training,” he added. F-15Es from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, F-22s from Nellis AFB, Nev., and F-16s from Homestead ARB, Fla., augmented by Tyndall T-38s squared off during the evaluation, which was held Jan. 26 to Feb. 6.
When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rolled out an expansive acquisition reform agenda earlier this month, he promised aggressive implementation and reorganization aimed at transforming the way the Pentagon develops and fields weapons and platforms. The plan appears to have been well-received by past administration officials and lawmakers from both parties who…
