Mission

The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron conducts the USAF Air-to-Ground Weapon

System Evaluation Program, also known as Combat Hammer. The 86th is the single

DoD agency charged with conducting predictive battle damage analysis of precision

guided air-to-ground munitions (PGMs) using operational weapons, aircraft, maintenance

personnel and aircrews. The squadron hosts 20 to 25 evaluations at Hill and Eglin Air

Force Bases, assessing weapon system performance, reliability, capabilities, and

limitations in realistic combat scenarios against representative real-world targets.

Combat Hammer identifies weapon system and training deficiencies and provides

recommendations for corrective action to USAF leaders. Additionally, the squadron

maintains the DoD’s comprehensive database on PGM performance and investigates

capabilities and limitations of currently fielded PGMs. The 86th evaluates each and

every air-to-ground PGM and PGM-capable fighter, bomber, and unmanned aerial

vehicle type in the CAF. Weapons assessed include: GBU-10, 12, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 38;

CBU 103 and 105, EGBU-15 and AGM-130, AGM-65, 86, 88, and 154. Recent

weapons and weapons systems included in A/G WSEP include Hellfire, Small Diameter

Bomb and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile as well as both F-22 Raptor and MQ-

9 Reaper aircraft. A/G WSEP provides liaison support for pre-deployment, employment,

and re-deployment of ACC, USAFE, PACAF, ANG and AFRES forces participating in

WSEP and conducts investigative firings of air-to-ground PGMs to address CAF

employment issues and support ongoing OT&E efforts.

Detachment 1, 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron provides a permanent presence at Hill

Air Force Base facilitating deployments in support of the USAF Air-to-Ground Weapon

System Evaluation Program, Combat Hammer. Squadron personnel provide liaison

support for predeployment, employment and redeployment of ACC, USAFE, PACAF,

ANG, and AFRES forces participating in A/G WSEP. A/G WSEP assesses operational

performance of fighter, bomber, and unmanned aerial vehicle weapon systems employing

precision guided munitions in realistic combat scenarios against first-look targets.


				*Combat Hammer*



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								86 FWS Mission



		Quotes We're going to bomb them back into the stone Age. General Curtis E. LeMay USAF, 1965 Offense is the essence of air power. General H.H. Arnold, USAAF Air control can be established by superiority in numbers, by better employment, by better equipment, or by a combination of these factors. General Carl A. "Tooey" Spaatz The power of an air force is terrific when there is nothing to oppose it. Winston Churchill						The 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron conducts the USAF Air-to-Ground Weapon System Evaluation Program, also known as Combat Hammer. The 86th is the single DoD agency charged with conducting predictive battle damage analysis of precision guided air-to-ground munitions (PGMs) using operational weapons, aircraft, maintenance personnel and aircrews. The squadron hosts 20 to 25 evaluations at Hill and Eglin Air Force Bases, assessing weapon system performance, reliability, capabilities, and limitations in realistic combat scenarios against representative real-world targets. Combat Hammer identifies weapon system and training deficiencies and provides recommendations for corrective action to USAF leaders. Additionally, the squadron maintains the DoD’s comprehensive database on PGM performance and investigates capabilities and limitations of currently fielded PGMs. The 86th evaluates each and every air-to-ground PGM and PGM-capable fighter, bomber, and unmanned aerial vehicle type in the CAF. Weapons assessed include: GBU-10, 12, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 38; CBU 103 and 105, EGBU-15 and AGM-130, AGM-65, 86, 88, and 154. Recent weapons and weapons systems included in A/G WSEP include Hellfire, Small Diameter Bomb and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile as well as both F-22 Raptor and MQ- 9 Reaper aircraft. A/G WSEP provides liaison support for pre-deployment, employment, and re-deployment of ACC, USAFE, PACAF, ANG and AFRES forces participating in WSEP and conducts investigative firings of air-to-ground PGMs to address CAF employment issues and support ongoing OT&E efforts. Detachment 1, 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron provides a permanent presence at Hill Air Force Base facilitating deployments in support of the USAF Air-to-Ground Weapon System Evaluation Program, Combat Hammer. Squadron personnel provide liaison support for predeployment, employment and redeployment of ACC, USAFE, PACAF, ANG, and AFRES forces participating in A/G WSEP. A/G WSEP assesses operational performance of fighter, bomber, and unmanned aerial vehicle weapon systems employing precision guided munitions in realistic combat scenarios against first-look targets.