The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron is conducting the U.S. Air Force air-to-ground weapons system evaluation program known as Combat Hammer. During the three-week event that began Monday and ends Aug. 22, four units will deploy to Hill and six units will travel directly to the Utah Test and Training Range to drop munitions in realistic combat scenarios, said 1st Lt. Beth Woodward. With support from the 388th Range Squadron, airmen in the 86th FWS will collect and analyze data on how these precision weapons perform and their suitability for use in war on terror deployments. Nearby residents should expect to see an additional 20 to 25 sorties taking off each day as part of the evaluation program.

Units participating at Hill AFB include: F-16CGs from Hill's 421st Fighter Squadron; F-16CJs from South Carolina Air National Guard's 157th Fighter Squadron and Eglin AFB's 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron; F-15Es from Seymour Johnson AFB's 336th Fighter Squadron; and A-10s from Moody AFB's 74th Fighter Squadron.

Additionally, B-2, B-52, F-22, MQ-1 and MQ-9 aircraft from units across Air Combat Command will participate in Combat Hammer from their home stations. Approximately $1.2 million worth of munitions, including the AGM-65 Maverick, GBU-38 JDAM, and GBU-12 and GBU-24 Paveway laser-guided bombs, will be dropped and evaluated on the UTTR.

- Lisa Rosetta