TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.-- -- The 494th Fighter Squadron departed Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, after participating in exercise Checkered Flag, this month.
Checkered Flag is a large-force exercise that allows fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft and personnel the opportunity to train together. The two-week exercise is the first CF exercise to be hosted at Tyndall AFB since being devastated by Hurricane Michael, a category five hurricane, in October 2018.
According to Lt. Col. Ryan Lippert, 494th FS director of operations, 22 aircrews had the opportunity to gain hands-on combat readiness training, adding to a more lethal 48th Fighter Wing.
The aircrew completed 155 sorties and flew over 240 hours during Checkered Flag 19-1.
The exercise served as a platform for maintenance personnel assigned to the 48th Maintenance Group and aircrew assigned to the 494th FS to be evaluated through the Weapons Systems Evaluation Programs and for less experienced operators to gain valuable live-fire training.
“WSEP evaluates the performance of maintenance, munitions and aircrew personnel in deploying live ammunitions,” said Tech. Sgt. Cristhian Hernandez, a 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew chief.
WSEP, known as Combat Archer, consisted of air-to-air combat scenarios and due to similar objectives, Checkered Flag 19-1 provided an advantageous opportunity to conduct these evaluations. The main objective is to ensure that both aircraft and personnel are combat ready, he said.
“The aircrew from the 494th Fighter Squadron performed admirably during WSEP and Checkered Flag 19-1,” Lippert said. “However, our teammates from the 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 48th Mission Support Group, and the 48th Medical Group are the true unsung heroes.”