Editor’s Note: We have good friends who are “Gunfighters,” assigned to the 366th Fighter Wing, whose home station is Mountain Home Air Force Base south of Boise, Idaho. As we mentioned before, Combat Archer and Combat Hammer are bother a part of the Weapons System Evaluation Program, governed by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The Gunfighters and their F-15E Strike Eagles were in Florida for three weeks, dropping live bombs and shooting live missiles over the course of the WSEP.
Over 200 airmen returned to Mountain Home AFB after participating Combat Archer and Hammer from Jan. 25 to Feb. 12 at Tyndall AFB, Florida.
Combat Archer and Hammer, a Weapons System Evaluation Program, combines the live air-to-air missile firing of Combat Archer and the air-to-ground bomb drops of Combat Hammer.
“I feel the TDY was a tremendous success,” said Maj. Peter Yule, 389th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations. “It took a tremendous team effort to get all the jets, personnel and associated cargo out of town and then back again. But, everyone went above and beyond to make it happen.”
An F-15E Strike Eagle flies in formation during the exercise Combat Archer and Hammer at Tyndall AFB, Florida. During the exercise members of the 389th Fighter Squadron flew more than 230 sorties. (Courtesy Photo by U.S. Air Force)
Performing this TDY not only took the coordination of many squadrons across the 366th Fighter Wing, but also the assistance from fellow airman with Travis AFB who provided airlift, Yule explained.
“It was a great feeling to see how many people were involved in a direct hit,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Brosnan, 389th Fighter Squadron weapons system [officer]. “The integration of the wing coming together to support this TDY was huge.”
The dropping of 55 bombs, missiles and the 243 sorties flown for Combat Archer and Hammer took the efforts of many different Air Force specialties. Aircrew, flight doctors, aviation resource management, aircrew flight management, weather and a number of other career fields from maintenance to include crew chiefs, ammo and maintainers attended this event.
The original article in its entirety can be viewed right here.
(Featured photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force)