The US Air Force has completed the first operational weapons system evaluation test, the Combat Hammer, of its F-35A Lightning II aircraft. The first phase of the evaluation programme was concluded on 11 August and acording to the service, “everything went as planned and all participating units performed very well.”
Combat Hammer is a test phase that aims to find potential issues in a controlled environment, with the ability to assess the weapons in real time to ensure not to be surprised in combat.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)