OVER THE UNITED STATES -- Lt. Col. James Hecker (front) and Lt. Col. Evan Dertein line up their F/A-22 Raptor aircraft behind a KC-10 Extender to refuel while en route to Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Colonel Hecker commands the first operational Raptor squadron -- the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The unit went to Hill for operation Combat Hammer, the squadron's first deployment, Oct. 15. The deployment has a twofold goal: complete a deployment and generate a combat-effective sortie rate away from home. TSgt Ben Bloker)

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Photo credit: © PJF Military Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -15, 1st, 27, acc, air, airforce, eagle, fa-22, fighter, force, formation, fs, langley, military, raptor, squadron, states, unclassified, united, usa, wing