Anything that falls from or shoots off an F-16 probably encountered its maiden flight over sunny Florida from the 39th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin AFB. The squadron is test central for certifying weapons for the F-6 and for expanding the F-16's flight envelope for existing weapons.

"About half of the aircrews participating in Combat Hammer... have never fired or dropped live versions of these weapons before. "One of the objectives of air-to-ground WSEP is to give the first timers experience shooting live weapons," says Maj. Kelly Ranger, Combat Hammer's program manager for Air Combat Command."

F-16 test pilots from Florida and California made their way to Las Vegas, Nevada, in May to play some slots, see some shows, and drop a few bombs. "Thirty-eight wind-corrected munitions dispensers, four joint direct attack munitions, and four laser-guided 500-pound bombs to be precise," notes Maj. Steve Brandt, who led the visiting pilots from Edwards AFB in California.