Lt. Col. Mark Sletten, F-35 Program integration officer, lowers the canopy on an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft before taxiing to take off Dec. 7, 2015, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. More than 30 maintenance Airmen worked an early shift to help launch several jets to Tyndall Air Force, Fla., for Checkered Flag 16-1, a large-force exercise that simulates a large number of aircraft in a deployed environment to cross-check weapons systems. ( Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Joseph Swafford/Released)

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Size: 3181px × 2117px
Photo credit: © AB Forces News Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -16, aircraft, airman, dark, exercise, falcon, fighting, maintenance