U.S., U.K. Air Forces Conduct Fighter Weapons Certification During Exercise Combat Archer

July 30, 2026 | By Air Force Capt. Joshua Cassem, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa |

After two weeks of high-end, tactical air and missile training, Exercise Combat Archer U.K. 26 concluded July 24, with the combat certification of the U.S. Air Force's 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

Led by U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, alongside Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning fighter jets, the exercise paired an evaluation unit with active U.S. fighter squadrons to certify pilots and ground crews for combat operations.

The squadrons were supported by the 351st Aerial Refueling Squadron from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, which conducted the evaluation.

Exercise Combat Archer U.K. focused on air-to-air, weapons system evaluation training scenarios, ensuring high-end combat readiness for global operations. 

In accordance with chief of staff of the Air Force directives, operational units are required to certify in all aspects of air-to-air weapons system employment before executing real-world taskings. Exercises like Combat Archer further confirm Air Force units are postured and ready as a credible force to assure, deter and defend in an increasingly complex security environment.

"Across the command we know we have pockets of lessons learned and exercising them together in a challenging environment, before the time of need, gives us a strategic advantage," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander. "Exercises like Combat Archer U.K. 26 ensure tactical proficiency, readiness of our maintainers and operators and confidence in the weapon system."

During the exercise, ground crews and pilots gained valuable experience employing air-to-air missiles and aerial gun weapons. While maintenance personnel focused on building, loading and arming munitions onto aircraft, aircrew ground training focused on determining appropriate payloads for their assigned realistic combat scenarios. All training culminated in live fires where pilots executed weapons employment on airborne targets.

"It's a chance, in a controlled environment, for pilots to actually experience what live weapons employment looks like," said Air Force Capt. Thomas Holmes, 48th Fighter Wing project officer and 493rd Fighter Squadron pilot. "Exercises like Combat Archer U.K. really hone those air-to-air skills. There is no substitute for that kind of training."

The Royal Air Force F-35 fighter jets executed critical beyond-visual-range weapons scenarios, directly synchronizing allied tactics, techniques and procedures to forge deeper trust and operational confidence.

Specialized certification training like this ensures forces are ready, lethal and postured to safeguard against any threat to U.S. interests in Europe and around the globe. The exercise provided crucial data to system engineers, enabling them to improve aircraft and munition guidance systems for the Air Force.

The 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron evaluated both the ground and air components of weapons employment while simultaneously using traceable air-to-air missiles, enabling for detailed real-time telemetry data analysis. The integration of U.S. 4th- and 5th-generation fighter jets alongside Royal Air Force aircraft allowed forces to test their ability to provide and sustain combat operations in a realistic training environment alongside allies and partners. 

Stingers Prove Lethal at Combat Archer

by Senior Master Sgt. Beth Holliker
180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

11/3/2015 - Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. -- More than 120 members of the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, deployed 38 short tons of cargo and eight F-16 fighter Aircraft to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida in September to participate in Combat Archer.

The two week exercise is part of the Air Combat Command Air to Air Weapons Systems Evaluation Program, which assesses a units overall operational effectiveness, weapons systems performance and reliability.

"Combat Archer is not just a training event," said Maj. Gregory Barasch, 112th Fighter Squadron director of operations. "It is a formal evaluation of the total weapon system; man, machine and missile, as well as the squadron's ability to conduct air-to-air missions."

With over 30 Combat Archer exercises conducted annually, the primary purpose of WSEP is to evaluate the effectiveness of the total air to air weapons system including aircraft, weapon delivery systems, munitions, aircrew, support equipment, technical data and overall maintenance operations. The secondary objective of Combat Archer is live-fire missile training for pilots before ever deploying to a combat environment.

"Exercises like Combat Archer provide a rare opportunity to load and employ live missiles with threat-realistic targets, maximizing the live-fire opportunities," said Barasch.

"Over the course of the two-week exercise," said Senior Master Sgt. Roger Newsome, 180th FW Weapons Supervisor, "Our eight jets logged 129 flight hours, flew 122 sorties and fired 10 live missiles, meeting all requirements with zero discrepancies."

"The experience of shooting an air-to-air missile for the first time takes away any questions," said Capt. Roy Poor, an F-16 pilot with the 180th Fighter Wing. "Now we can employ in combat with confidence."

Along with the rare chance to fire live missiles, Combat Archer also provided the opportunity to conduct Force Integration sorties, training with dissimilar aircraft, fourth and fifth generation fighters like the F-15 Strike Eagle and F-22 Raptor, as well as the Navy's F-18 Hornet.

Training with dissimilar aircraft allows sister services and coalition partners to work together on mastering combat tactics and operational-level campaigns in a controlled, strategic, advanced and realistic environment.

"It's been great working alongside some of the other forces," said Master Sgt. Stacie Dice, an F-16 mechanic with the 180th Fighter Wing. "We're out here with the Navy and the Active Duty Air Force, flying alongside other aircraft from those units."

Though the F-16 pilots and maintenance personnel from the 180th Fighter Wing train maintaining their currency and efficiency to provide effective combat power at home and abroad, sorties are conducted utilizing training munitions. These training munitions are built and weighted the same as live munitions, giving pilots a realistic feel of flying fully loaded jets.

Flying with training missiles affords pilots opportunities to familiarize themselves with the feel of the jet loaded with various munitions configurations during simulated combat training missions similar to what might be experienced in a real-world combat environment. The pilots train on the step-by-step process of firing a missile without actually employing one.

Not only that, this training provides the strategic agility needed to fight against a formidable and aggressive adversary in a continually strained fiscal environment.

"We were able to learn the strengths and weakness of each airframe," said Poor. "While also learning how best to maneuver together allowing for maximum lethality in a combat situation."

"Our mission here at the 180th Fighter Wing is to be the most lethal, innovative and efficient fighter wing in the Total Force," said Dice. "Nothing says lethality like putting missile on target."

With more than 500 personnel from five units, 30 fighter aircraft and over 45 live missiles shot, this exercise was the largest in Combat Archer history.