Airmen from the US Air Force 388th and 419th Fighter Wings supported and flew their F-35A Lightning II aircraft during exercise Combat Hammer.
Combat Hammer is the first operational air-to-ground weapons evaluation for the Air Force’s newest fighter jets.
Combat Hammer is one phase of the Weapons System Evaluation Program, or WSEP, and it tests and validates the performance of crews, pilots, and their technology while deploying air-to-ground precision-guided munitions. For the F-35A
The weeklong evaluation exercise concluded Aug. 11 and Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, commander of the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron detachment at Hill AFB that oversees Combat Hammer, said he received positive feedback regarding above-average mission and sortie rates.
“Overall, everything went as planned and all participating units performed very well, including the 34th Fighter Squadron F-35s,” he said.
Smith also praised the team effort involving corporate partners, the 388th and 419th FWs, pilots, munitions and maintenance personnel, and 86th FWS evaluators for making Combat Hammer a success.
Hardly a rave review is it, more like damning with faint praise.
Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, commander of the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron detachment at Hill AFB that oversees Combat Hammer, said he received positive feedback regarding above-average mission and sortie rates. “Overall, everything went as planned and all participating units performed very well, including the 34th Fighter Squadron F-35s,” he said.