53rd Wing News

The eyes in the skies

2nd Lt. Kayla Fitzgerald — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 12:30:00 GMT

Executing successful live missile testing during a Weapon System Evaluation Program requires the participation of several different squadrons, two of which are the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron and the 81st Air Control Squadron.

Tyndall Holds Joint Weapons System Evaluation Program

Senior Airman Jacob Dastas — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 19:03:00 GMT

The 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron hosted Weapon System Evaluation Program East 21.03 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Dec. 7-18, 2020. WSEPs are held to evaluate air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons systems on behalf of Air Combat Command. The 43rd Fighter Squadron from Tyndall AFB and the U.S. Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadrons 11, 34, 81, and 211 with Carrier Air Wing One out of Naval Air Station Oceana participated in this evaluation.

SAR Mapping put to the test in Bomb Hit Assessment

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 18:14:00 GMT

The 422nd Test and Evaluation squadron conducted at Synthetic Aperture Radar Map Bomb Hit Assessment on December 15, 2020. During this test, two F-15Es dropped live Joint Direct Attack Munitions, while other weapons systems including F-15Es, F-35s, F-16s, FA-18s, RQ-4, MQ-9, U-2 and joint partners used SAR Mapping technology to assess if the bombs hit and destroyed the intended targets.

Fox Fox! Tyndall F-22s test AIM-9 missiles

Airman 1st Class Tiffany Price — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 17:26:00 GMT

The 43rd Fighter Squadron tested its combat capabilities this week during a live-fire exercise where five F-22 Raptor aircraft launched five AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida Dec. 15, 2020.

Emerald Flag exercise begins

1st. Lt. Karissa Rodriguez — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 18:55:00 GMT

First native multi-domain test exercise, Dec. 1-5

“As goes the 53rd Wing, so goes the Air Force”

1st Lt. Savanah Bray — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 16:01:00 GMT

Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command, and Chief Master Sgt. David Wade, ACC command chief, visited the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 23-24, 2020. Their visit with 53rd Wing Airmen showcased test, evaluation, and mission data reprogramming, highlighting the wing’s drive for accomplishing their mission statement of “providing tactical advantage to the warfighter at the speed of relevance.”

LFTE 20.03 sets standard for future test events

1st Lt. Savanah Bray — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 12:53:00 GMT

LFTE 20.03 integrated ten weapons systems, including the F-35, F-22, F-15E, F-16, A-10, E/A-18G, HH-60G, EC-130H, KC-46, and KC-135, from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy on November 17, 2020 to test four Tactics Improvement Proposals, known as TIPs, as well as various high priority tests.

53rd WEG hosts simultaneous WSEPs in Florida, Utah

1st Lt. Savanah Bray — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:34:00 GMT

The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group hosted both Weapons System Evaluation Program East and West from November 2-13, 2020. The WSEPs included more than 86 aircraft participating at the two installations in live-fire air-to-air and air-to-ground evaluations.

Tyndall brings the heat with Checkered Flag 21-1

Staff Sgt. Stefan Alvarez — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 15:35:00 GMT

Checkered Flag 21-1, a large-scale aerial exercise hosted at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, began Nov. 2 and is scheduled to continue through Nov. 14.

Female fighter pilots test modified ATAGS “G-suit”

1st Lt. Savanah Bray — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 12:52:42 GMT

A modified version of the Advanced Technology Anti-Gravity Suits was successfully tested by five female fighter pilots October 26-30, 2020.

WSEP East kicks off FY21 with Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Evals

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 16:16:00 GMT

The first Weapons System Evaluation Program-East of Fiscal Year 2021 provided air-to-air and air-to-ground training and evaluation from October 13-23, 2020.

29th TSS provides essential training mission on Robins, across the Nation

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 22:46:00 GMT

At nine locations across the country the 29th Training Systems Squadron validates and maintains aircrew training devices, such as flight simulators. At Robins AFB specifically, the 29th TSS’s Operating Location-Bravo is responsible for all the E-8 JSTARS aircrew training devices.

WSEP 20.12 provides opportunities for test and training

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 23:03:00 GMT

The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron hosted squadrons from across the country for Weapons System Evaluation Program East 20.12 from September 15-25, 2020 enabling first-time shooter experience for front-line Combat Air Force squadrons while shaping the future fight through integrated operational test and Weapons School participation.

MQ-9 Reaper Takes Flight with 8 Hellfire Missiles

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:16:12 GMT

The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted the first flight of the MQ-9A Reaper carrying eight live AGM-114 Hellfire missiles on September 10, 2020, reinforcing the platform’s “persistent attack” role. This new capability is part of the MQ-9 Operational Flight Program 2409, a software upgrade set to field by the end of calendar year 2020. Previous to this software, the Reaper was limited to four AGM-114s across two stations. The new software allows flexibility to load the Hellfire on stations that previously were reserved for 500 lb. class bombs or fuel tanks.

ABMS Onramp 2 sees second MQ-9 AIM-9X shot and other CMD tactics development

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 20:40:00 GMT

From employing an AIM-9X from an MQ-9 to improving AGR-20 cruise missile defense tactics from the F-16, units across the 53d Wing played a critical role in the Advanced Battle Management System Onramp #2 from August 31 to September 3, 2020. A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron successfully employed a live air-to-air AIM-9X Block 2 missile against a target BQM-167 drone simulating a cruise missile. The crew received off-board cueing information, found and tracked the target, then maneuvered to validly employ the AIM-9X against the surrogate cruise missile.

Better Together: Team Whiteman Airman initiates change by connecting community

Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 20:55:00 GMT

Current events, like the death of George Floyd, have made organizations across the U.S. Air Force

28 TES conducts successful tests of BLU-136 bomb

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 19:08:00 GMT

The 28th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted a Force Development Evaluation to operationally test the BLU-136 Next Generation Area Attack Weapon from July 8-24, 2020 at the Nellis Test and Training Range. The fragmentation of the BLU-136 is non-explosive, making it a less-hazardous alternative to cluster munitions.

LFTE focused on SEAD, LO and EA complete at Nellis AFB

1st Lt Savanah Bray — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 15:07:28 GMT

The 53d Test and Evaluation Group planned and executed a $1.4 million Large Force Test Event, August 4-6, 2020, designed to find solutions to Air Force prioritized Tactics Improvement Proposals for Suppression of Enemy Air Defense, low-observable ingress, and 4th-5th generation electronic attack interoperability.

Team Eglin prepared, ready for F-15EX

Samuel King Jr. — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 17:11:00 GMT

Big plans for when EX1 and EX2 arrives in 2021.

83rd FWS executes joint WSEP with U.S. Navy

DoD News — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 15:44:00 GMT

The 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron and executed “WSEP East 20.09” from May 27 to June 12, 2020 with participants from the 53rd Wing, 325th Fighter Wing, 33rd Fighter Wing, and the U.S. Navy’s Carrier Air Wing Two.