Joining forces with the 944th Fighter Wing, the 56th Fighter Wing recently conducted the Instructor Pilot War Day as part of the larger Exercise Desert Hammer. This joint-force exercise, held over the Barry M. Goldwater Range in Arizona, involved over 300 combat support Airmen and 96 aircraft from the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy. The goal? To ensure operators maintain an elite level of tactical skill and instructor pilots can translate insights from large-scale exercises into regular training. Additionally, the exercise not only reinforced our operational capabilities but also strengthened community ties. Featuring an array of aircraft including F-35A Lightning II’s, F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-35B Lightning II’s, a KC-46 Pegasus and F-15 Eagles, the exercises replicated intense aerial combat scenarios. The focus was on air-to-air defensive maneuvers in a variety of combat scenarios and contested areas, bolstering coordination and readi...