Photo By Senior Airman Zeeshan Naeem | U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft sit on the flightline at Tyndall Air Force Base,...... read more read more
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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — The 325th Fighter Wing is set to host Checkered Flag 26-2, one of the U.S. military’s largest aerial exercises at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, April 28 – May 14, 2026.
This large-scale air-to-air exercise brings together 14 units across the U.S. Air Force and Navy as they integrate fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft in a dynamic training environment aimed to enhance aviators’ and maintainers’ mobility, deployment and employment capabilities.
Participating aircraft include the F-35A/C Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-16C/CM Fighting Falcon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and B-2 Spirit as well as command-and-control platforms like the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
Checkered Flag directly supports Air Combat Command’s Immediate Response Force, a dedicated contingent for ‘Rapid Response’ to unforeseen or unplanned operations.
“Checkered Flag brings together joint and coalition partners to train today’s warfighter —integrated, agile and ready,” said Scottie Mitchell, 325th Fighter Wing Checkered Flag deputy director. “This exercise prepares our forces to generate combat airpower quickly and operate effectively in complex, contested environments.”
The 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron will lead several participating units in live-fire training as part of the Weapons System Evaluation Program 26.04. This combined training provides a rare opportunity for aircrews and maintainers to train in a controlled environment with live munitions, offering valuable experience that is typically only gained during deployed operations.
“The value of this training is in the realism and scale,” said Col. Tyler Niebuhr, 325th Operations Group commander. "The sheer volume of the Gulf airspace gives us the room to push our platforms to their absolute limits. Operating in such a massive, contested environment forces us to master complex joint air-to-air fighter integration — taking units from across the joint and coalition force and fusing them into a single, lethal team." Checkered Flag underscores the Air Force’s focus on readiness and the development of mission-ready Airmen.
Through large-scale, integrated training, the exercise ensures forces are prepared to deter adversaries and, if necessary, deliver decisive combat airpower.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2026 15:56 |
| Story ID: | 563817 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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