{"id":26285,"date":"2020-09-03T18:59:13","date_gmt":"2020-09-03T18:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/03\/does-this-bomb-still-work-fighter-units-at-hill-afb-test-weapons-in-combat-hammer-exercise\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:44:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:44:54","slug":"does-this-bomb-still-work-fighter-units-at-hill-afb-test-weapons-in-combat-hammer-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2020\/09\/03\/does-this-bomb-still-work-fighter-units-at-hill-afb-test-weapons-in-combat-hammer-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"Does this bomb still work? Fighter units at Hill AFB test weapons in Combat Hammer exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Airmen from multiple fighter units built, loaded and deployed a variety of munitions from the F-35A and other aircraft in early August in a major evaluation exercise at Hill Air Force Base<\/a> in Utah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Combat Hammer<\/a> evaluation, formally known as the Weapons System Evaluation Program West, was run by the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron<\/a> at Hill Aug. 10 to 13, the base said Wednesday. The exercise is meant to show commanders the effectiveness of weapons used in combat, including their accuracy and sustainability, their suitability against certain targets, and how proficient maintainers and pilots are at using them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, and reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing, both at Hill, also took part in the evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintainers built GBU-31 direct-attack munitions, GBU-39 small-diameter bombs and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs and loaded them onto F-35s as part of the evaluation, according to Hill\u2019s news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\t