Fighter aircraft arrive for Combat Archer Published June 28, 2006 By Chrissy Cuttita 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) -- Twenty-eight fighter aircraft from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Luke AFB, Ariz.; and Shaw AFB, S.C., are here participating in Combat Archer. Approximately 300 Airmen deployed with their aircraft and set up operations in the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron, an Air Combat Command tenant unit here. "Combat Archer is the only cradle-to-grave fighter weapon system evaluation, from human to machine to weapon," said Lt. Col. Raymond O'Mara, 83rd FWS commander. "We are the Department of Defense's largest fighter weapon system sustainment evaluation program. "We evaluate operational aircrew flying operational aircraft, using weapons that come directly out of our wartime weapons stockpiles," the colonel said. "This enables us to evaluate the effectiveness of our frontline air-to-air combat capability." Approximately every few weeks, units from the Department of Defense and international countries visit the squadron to test the weapons systems on their aircraft."No other place in the Air Force provides this training and support," said Master Sgt. Mike Husava, the squadron's liaison flight chief. His logistical team provides all pre- and post-deployment planning. Combat Archer provides Airmen an air-to-air operations experience before going into combat. Each pilot has the opportunity to shoot live-fire missiles at sub-scale and full-scale drones. Pilots here are also participating in combat banner missions. On these missions, a banner is tied with a 200-foot cable to a Learjet allowing pilots to improve their shooting accuracy while testing the aircraft's gun systems. After completion of the mission the banner is evaluated by a team of analysts. Maintainers also carefully monitor all weapons loading for safety. "Visiting units benefit from the 83rd FWS maintenance personnel since they do not get the daily experience of loading and unloading weapons at their home stations," Sergeant Husava said. Members of the squadron are from various career fields to provide the unique training experience to the U.S. military and its allies.