American Fighters Conduct Live Missile Exercises
A recent exercise over the Gulf Coast brought together various aircraft, including fifth-generation F-22 Raptors and F-35A Lightning IIs, as well as legacy aircraft such as the F-15C Eagle, F-15EX Eagle II, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
- F-22 Raptors
- F-35A Lightning IIs
- F-15C Eagle
- F-15EX Eagle II
- F-15E Strike Eagle
- F-16 Fighting Falcon
The exercise, hosted by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, allowed participating squadrons to assess combat readiness through live missile launches against drone targets.
“WSEP is a very powerful exercise,” said Tech. Brandon Murdaugh, 83rd Fighter Squadron weapons system program evaluator. “It’s one of the only exercises where live-fire missile testing is a regular activity. It gives units an opportunity to showcase their maintenance and combat capabilities.
The training enables aircrews, maintainers, and weapons teams to operate in realistic combat scenarios while validating missile performance.
Author's summary: American fighters conduct live missile exercises over Gulf Coast.