Modern Fighter Jet Operations

Images of pilots in fighter jet cockpits and during maintenance operations, capturing the intensity of military aviation and readiness.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. James Summer, 25th Fighter Squadron (FS) pilot waves as he taxis in an A-10C Thunderbolt II at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Dec. 7, 2022. The 25th Fighter Generation Squadron is responsible for 25th FS aircraft maintenance including servicing, inspections, launch and recovery, and munitions loading.

020129-F-1631A-019. Base: Zaragosa Air Base Country: Spain (ESP) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

010323-F-4071B-001. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Participating in EXERCISE DESERT RESCUE IX, Captain Kevin Eilers, an A-10 Warthog pilot from the 75th Fighter Squadron at Pope AFB, North Carolina, prepares to exit the cockpit of his aircraft after a close air support mission for the exercise. Desert Rescue IX is the premiere search and rescue (SAR) training exercise involving Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine personnel. It is conducted at the ranges of Fallon Naval Air Station, Nevada. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT RESCUE IX Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

First lieutenant kite G.H.M.s. ("Guy") Putker of 323 Squadron in the cockpit of its lockheed F-104G Starfighter. Ready for departure.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Chase Mlnarik, left, the flightline officer in charge and Maj. Makoto Jacobs, the operations officer for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, prepare to fly a UH-1Y Venom helicopter before a close air support exercise on Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, Feb. 8, 2023. HMLA-775, along with the other squadrons on the air station, provide aviation support that enables I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton tenant commands and visiting units to maintain and enhance their mission capabilities and combat readiness.

1st Lt. Kelsey Flannery, an F-35A Lightning II pilot assigned to the 134th Fighter Squadron of the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing, prepares to take off for a training mission from South Burlington Air National Guard Base, Vermont, Sept. 7, 2022. Flannery, who is the Air National Guard's first female F-35 pilot, made her first flight with the 158th after returning from three years of flight training.

CPT Tim Kline, aboard an F-15A Eagle aircraft, prepares for flight during Exercise Sidewinder II. The pilot is from the 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 1ST Tactical Fighter Wing. Subject Operation/Series: SIDEWINDER II Base: Amsterdam Country: Holland / Netherlands (HOL)

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. James Summer, 25th Fighter Squadron (FS) pilot waves as he taxis in an A-10C Thunderbolt II at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Dec. 7, 2022. The 25th Fighter Generation Squadron is responsible for 25th FS aircraft maintenance including servicing, inspections, launch and recovery, and munitions loading.

First lieutenant kite G.H.M.s. ("Guy") Putker of 323 Squadron in the cockpit of its lockheed F-104G Starfighter. Ready for departure.

A U.S. Air Force pilot assigned to the 157th Fighter Squadron, South Carolina Air National Guard, prepares for take off in an F-16 Fighting Falcon during exercise Sentry Savannah 22-1 at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia, May 11, 2022. Sentry Savannah is the Air National Guards premier counter air exercise, encompassing 10 units of fourth- and fifth- generation fighter aircraft, which tests the capabilities of warfighters in a simulated near-peer environment and trains the next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kolb Scott, 25th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, sits in the pilots seat of an A-10 Thunderbolt II during engine operational checks prior to flight operations as part of exercise RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2022. RF-A is designed to provide realistic training essential to the success of air and space operations in a simulated combat environment.

040428-N-1045B-035. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: USS George Washington (CVN 73)

Army 1st Lt. Demetria N. Elosiebo, currently a platoon leader with D. Co. (Air Ambulance) 1-224th Aviation Regiment at Davison Army Airfield, Va., conducts her pre-flight checks on a black hawk helicopter on March 15, 2014. Elosiebo is the first female African-American rotary wing pilot in the D.C. Army National Guard. (

Cockpit View of Pilot of an F-16

020118-F-5872L-018. Subject Operation/Series: COPE TIGER '02 Base: Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Country: Thailand (THA) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

020419-F-3488S-043. Subject Operation/Series: COPE NORTH 2002 Base: Andersen Air Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

030805-F-7823A-003. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT RESCUE XI Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

980926-N-6699W-002. Base: Uss Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)

More than 200 Airmen and 10 A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs from the 924th Fighter Group of the 944th Fighter Wing are working out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 29, 2022, during the units participation in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, July 21-Aug. 4. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

Lieutenant Colonel Tom "Shoot" Schiess, 173rd Figher Wing Det Commander, gives insruction to a member of the 1ST Fighter Squadron, Polish Air Force in preparation for his first back seat flight in a Kingsley Eagle. EXERCISE SENTRY WHITE EAGLE provided pilots from both squadrons the opportunity to fly in the rear cockpit of each other's aircraft. Lieutenant Colonel Tom "Shoot" Schiess, 173rd Figher Wing Det Commander, gives insruction to a member of the 1st Fighter Squadron, Polish Air Force in preparation for his first back seat flight in a Kingsley Eagle. EXERCISE SENTRY WHITE EAGLE provided pilots from both squadrons the opportunity to fly in the rear cockpit of each other's aircraft.

980224-F-7910D-010. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH 1998 Base: Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base State: Al Ahmadi Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

A plane captain cleans the canopy of a Fighter Squadron 74 (VF-74) F-14A Tomcat aircraft on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA (CV-60) during Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Country: Red Sea

Cpl. Kevin Yoon, an avionics technician, with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron - 773, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII, conducts routine maintenance on an AH-1Z Viper at São Pedro da Aldeia, Brazil, during exercise UNITAS LXIII, Sept. 7, 2022. UNITAS is the world's longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise that focuses on enhancing interoperability among multiple nations and joint forces during littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the U.S. Southern Commands area of responsibility. Yoon is a native of Sacramento, CA.

030208-F-3252P-002. Subject Operation/Series: Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) Base: Cannon Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

The pilot of a 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing A-10A Thunderbolt II aircraft smiles from the cockpit upon arriving at the station. The aircraft is en route to the United States after being deployed in the Persian Gulf area during Operation Desert Storm. Symbols on the plane's fuselage indicate the number and types of Iraqi equipment destroyed during the aircraft's bombing missions. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA)

Families enjoy static displays at the JBA Air & Space Expo at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, September 17, 2022. This weekend marked the Air Forces 75th anniversary. (U.S Air National Guard photos by Senior Airman Brianna Alvarez)

A view of a search and rescue team member aboard a UH-1N Iroquois helicopter during training exercises near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada. Country: Unknown

DN-ST-89-07338. Subject Operation/Series: GALLANT EAGLE 88 Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

011107-F-0308N-057. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM

U.S. Air Force Capt. Juan Rodriguez Quinones, 85th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, checks a T-6 Texan II before flight at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, on June 23, 2022. Preflight inspections serve as an important step when proactively mitigating airplane flight hazards.

General Ronald R. Fogelman (left), Air Force CHIEF of STAFF, and CAPT. Gerald Lanagan, 63rd Fighter Squadron, "Panthers," prepare to fly an F-16 training mission at Luke AFB, Arizona. Base: Luke Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Honorable Gina Ortiz Jones, Under Secretary of the Air Force, receives a B-52H Stratofortress tour by Capt. Kason Pifer, 96th Bomb Squadron B-52H Stratofortress pilot, about the B-52H Stratofortress NC3 capabilities during a visit to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, April 12, 2022. The NC3 is made of a multitude of ground, air and space components such as receivers and terminals.

Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, tours an aircraft during an AFMC civic leader visit to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., Nov. 8, 2022. During the visit, RIchardson and AFMC civic leaders toured facilities and learned about various Kirtland missions.

DF-ST-86-11762. Base: Langley Air Force Base State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Flyers in a Boeing (Rockwell) OV-10 Bronco from the American Air Force at the Leeuwarden Air Base during Mot & E.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon Pilot from the 23rd Fighter Squadron (not shown), Aviano Air Base, Italy, prepares for a flight against targets in Yugoslavia on March 31, 1999. Members of the 23rd FS are deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, supporting NATO Operation Allied Force. Subject Operation/Series: NATO Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

030327-F-4987A-015. Subject Operation/Series: PATRIOT THUNDER Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040723-F-6740T-204. Country: Unknown

U.S. Air Force Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, closes his canopy while preparing his F-22 Raptor for departure from Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Northern Territory, Australia, Sept. 5, 2022. Wilsbach flew alongside RAAF Air Marshal Robert Chipman and German Air Force Air Chief Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz in a demonstration of friendship and cooperative leadership. Pacific Air Forces stands committed to U.S. Allies and Partners in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cody Polzin, A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team crew chief, performs pre-flight inspections in Klamath Falls, Oregon, June 24, 2022. The A-10 Demonstration Team is made up of 11 personnel, including a pilot, nine maintenance personnel and a public affairs specialist. The mission of the A-10 Demonstration Team is to recruit, retain and inspire.

Colonel-General Kostyantyn Morozo, Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, preparing for his flight in an F/A-18D Hornet aircraft of Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106). The flight will be from Naval Air Station Norfolk out to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) operating off the Virginia Capes. Base: Norfolk State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Wearing an MCU-2P protective mask as part of a nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) warfare drill, a catapult crewman guides an Attack Squadron 72 (VA-72) A-7E Corsair aircraft into a catapult shuttle on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67). The KENNEDY is operating in support of Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Red Sea

120208-N-ZI635-434ARABIAN SEA (Feb. 8, 2012) A pilot assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81 renders a salute before launching from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

010406-F-2021R-001. Base: Raf Kinloss, Scotland Country: Great Britain / England (GBR)

An aircraft is decontaminated by a member of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, wearing chemical warfare gear, during a chemical warfare exercise. Base: Kunsan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

A pilot in the cockpit of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft during the joint South Korea/US exercise Team Spirit '84. Subject Operation/Series: Team Spirit '84 Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

041118-F-1740G-012. Base: Hyakuri Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle weapons officer sends a message home while flying a combat patrol June 17, 2009 over Afghanistan.

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor with the 325th Fighter Wing, approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker with the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Alabama Air National Guard, to refuel in-flight during Sentry Savannah May 11, 2022, in a military operations area over Florida. Sentry Savannah is the Air National Guards premier counter air exercise, encompassing 10 units of fourth- and fifth- generation fighter aircraft, which tests the capabilities of warfighters in a simulated near-peer environment and trains the next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

Captain-kite W.J. Sneek steps into a General Dynamics F-16A.

A crew chief assists a German pilot as he pre-flights an F-104G Starfighter aircraft, prior to a training flight conducted by members of the 69th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Base: Luke Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A U.S. Marine with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing conducts maintenance on a CH-53E Super Stallion during Mountain Training Exercise 1-23 (MTX) at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif., Oct. 7, 2022. HMH-462 supported 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during MTX while enhancing self-deployment capability and advancing mission skill progression in a high-altitude, austere environment.

Senior Airman Kelsey White, 25th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, prepares the canopy of an A-10 Thunderbolt II for flight operations as part of exercise RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2022. RF-A is designed to provide realistic training essential to the success of air and space operations in a simulated combat environment.

110628-N-KB563-009PACIFIC OCEAN (June 28, 2011) Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Bonnafaye Cabajar installs a rescue hoist on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7) during Pacific Partnership. Pacific Partnership is a five-month humanitarian assistance initiative that is making port visits to Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

U.S. Marine Corps pilots with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312, Marine Aircraft Group 31, conduct pre-flight checks in an F/A-18 Hornet, before departing for the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Oct. 2, 2022. The UDP provides forward presence and assists commanders around the globe.

Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Adolfo Soto, from Chicago, assigned to the ÒTridentsÓ of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, performs routine maintenance on a MH-60R Sea Hawk on the flight deck aboard the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), March 30, 2023. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting routine operations and training in order to maintain readiness. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. NavyÕs capacity to project power on a global scale.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Georges De Wilde, 435th Flying Training Squadron air operations director, looks into the F-35 Lightning II during post flight recovery after its arrival for The Great Texas Airshow Apr. 21, 2022, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The U.S. Air Force is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a The Great Texas Airshow as a key event. The airshow features the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds performing for people to display the pride, precision and professionalism the U.S. Air Force represents. Through air shows and flyovers, they aim to excite and inspire. In addition to showcasing the elite skills all pilots must possess, the Thunderbirds demonstrate the incredible capabilities of the Air Forces premier multi-role fighter jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Aftermath - Flooding - Miscellaneous - 26-HK-36-234. close-up back shot of personnel in flight surveying damage. Hurricane Katrina

A U.S. Marine Corps pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312, Marine Air Group 31, conducts pre-flight checks before departing for the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Oct. 2, 2022.The UDP provides forward presence and assists commanders around the globe.

A U.S. Marine Corps pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312, Marine Air Group 31, conducts pre-flight checks before departing for the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Oct. 2, 2022.The UDP provides forward presence and assists commanders around the globe.

980319-F-1894K-010. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH 1998 Base: Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base State: Al Ahmadi Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

021017-F-4728F-006. Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

A Plane Captain and Flight Deck Coordinator relay information to the pilot of an AV-8B "Harrier" of Marine Corps Helicopter Medium Squadron TWO SIX SIX (HMM 266) prior to launch. AV-8Bs are continually deployed on board amphibious assault ships as part of the aviation combat element of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). USS NASSAU (LHA 4) and its embarked 24th MEU began air strikes in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE Country: Adriatic Sea

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II pilot with Luke Air Force Base gestures to the boom operator after conducting an air refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 161st Air Refueling Wing during a local sortie on Sept. 16, 2022. The 161st out of Goldwater Air National Guard Base, conducts regular air refueling missions with their regional partners at Luke Air Force Base.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Allen McDaniel, left, fixed wing aircraft mechanic, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Aircraft Group 31, and Maj. Joshua Martin, executive officer, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312, wait for directions in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Sept. 19, 2022. VMFA-312 offered flights for Marines who reenlisted as a way to reward their dedication to the Marine Corps.

US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Dave Nelson, F-22 Raptor test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, California, dons flight gear to prepare for a test flight on March 1ST, 1999, as part of the F-22 Combined Test Force including Lockheed, Boeing and Pratt and Whitney. Base: Edwards Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Col. Bryan Preece, 130th Airlift Wing Commander, speaks at the Summer U.S. Air Force Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps Flight Academy Graduation on July 29, 2022, at the Fairmont State Aviation Center of Excellence Fairmont, West Virginia. The Air Force sponsored program targets High School Juniors, JROTC members, and Air Force Academy cadets, teaching them to fly in about six and a half weeks and awarding them private pilot certifications. Preece spoke about his journey as an Air Force Aviator and pinned the wings on the graduates.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot and crew chief make last adjustments before a mission is flown against targets in Yugoslavia, (not shown) April 5, 1999. Members of the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spandahelm Air Base, Germany are deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

United States Air Force Captain Jose Pinedo (left) and Airmen First Class Alan Phelan (right) of the 510th Fighter Squadron perform an F-16C pre-flight check in preparation for a deployment to Kuwait, 3 August 2000, Aviano Air Base, Italy. Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

Maintenance airmen make a preflight check on the instrument panel of an F-16A Fighting Falcon aircraft during exercise BORDER STAR '81. The aircraft is assigned to the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. Subject Operation/Series: BORDER STAR '81 Base: Holloman Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-86-03943. Base: USS Coral Sea (CV 43) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft. Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxStrelax 10775221

AIRMAN 1ST Class Michael L. Dopler (Hometown: East Liverpool, Ohio), a crew chief from the 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, gives a "thumbs up" after completing his maintenance check on an F-15C Strike Eagle during the Air Power Expeditionary Force operation. An ancillary mission of the Force is to assist US Air Force and other multinational forces operating in Saudi Arabia and other nearby countries patrol the no-fly zone over southern Iraq. Subject Operation/Series: AIR POWER EXPEDITIONARY FORCE Country: Jordan (JOR)

CAPT. Ty Howard of the 422d Test and Eval Squadron, at Nellis AFB, Nev., flies his F-15E Strike Eagle while looking back over his shoulder. Base: Nellis Air Force Base State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

011108-N-9849W-005. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Uss Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Scene Major Command Shown: USS Kitty Hawk

010120-F-8513A-007. Base: Syracuse State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-90-04053. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

A US Marine Corps Aviator Prepares to Embark on a Close Air Support Mission in His F/A-18D Hornet From Al Asad Air Base in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq

Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman Jr. sits in the cockpit of an A-6 Intruder aircraft from Medium Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115) prior to a test flight. Base: Naval Air Facility, Atsugi Country: Japan (JPN)

Ground crewman prepare to load a bomb onto the pylon of an A-6E Intruder aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Six (CVW-6). Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Miranda T-Rex Jones, pilot, 157th Fighter Squadron, South Carolina Air National Guard, prepares for take off in an F-16 Fighting Falcon during exercise Sentry Savannah 22-1 at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia, May 11, 2022. Sentry Savannah is the Air National Guards premier counter air exercise, encompassing 10 units of fourth- and fifth- generation fighter aircraft, which tests the capabilities of warfighters in a simulated near-peer environment and trains the next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

Cockpit View of Pilot of an F-16

040121-F-0629H-015. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

August 3, 2006 - A three-ship formation of F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

US Navy AIRMAN Apprentice Mike Mullen washes the suds off of the wing of an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from Strike Fighter Squadron One Zero Five (VFA-105) on the flight deck of USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75). Base: USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)

010331-N-3483C-008. Base: Uss Kitty Hawk (CV 63)

An airman stands by to help MAJ Terry B. Pappas out of the cockpit of his SR-71B aircraft following the aircraft's arrival at the base. The aircraft, which has been deactivated from Air Force service, will be placed in the base's museum. Base: March Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The pilot and weapons officer of a Saudi Arabian Tornado aircraft look out from the cockpit as they prepare to takeoff on a mission during Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Country: Saudi Arabia(SAU)

Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft. Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxStrelax 10775105

U.S. Air Force Col. Trena Savageau, former 944th Fighter Wing Vice Commander, smiles at family and friends from the cockpit of an F-16C Fighting Falcon on the flight line after her final flight with the 944th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Aug. 25, 2022. Final flight, also known as fini flight, is a tradition for pilots and some aircrew members who are retiring or moving on to another base. Savageau, who also is a command pilot with more than 2,300 flying hours, including 80 combat hours, is moving on to an Individual Mobilization Augmentee role with Air Force Reserve Command.

Staff Sgt. Ryan Anderson, a crew chief assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, performs preflight checks while communicating with an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot before departure from the flightline at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27. 2016. Anderson, along with 300 personnel from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, were participating in the flying training deployment between the Hellenic and U.S. air forces at Souda Bay from Jan. 22 to Feb. 15, 2016.

990323-M-5506S-019. Subject Operation/Series: TANDEM THRUST 99 Base: Andersen Air Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-89-04121. Base: Macdill Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Abram Kuttenkuler, 509th Bomb Wing aircraft mechanic, washes the wind screen of a T-38 Talon jet fighter trainer at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Aug. 25, 2022. It takes a dedicated team of Airmen, civilians, and contractors to keep Team Whiteman's mission aircraft at peak readiness.

Two Air Force officers, their faces covered for protection against blowing sand, walk across the flight line during Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

980403-F-4116M-006. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH 1998 Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

The crew of an SR-71A aircraft (background) walks away from the flight line upon arrival. Country: Unknown

A plane captain assists Commander Dave Miller, executive officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 136 (VFA-136), as they conduct a preflight inspection of an F/A-18C Hornet aircraft aboard the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). The carrier is underway in the gulf during maritime interdiction operations. Country: Unknown

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