ATLANTIC CITY, NJ  - The 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, based at Atlantic City International Airport, deployed 86 personnel including pilots, maintenance personnel, weapons load teams, and eight aircraft on Friday to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to participate in Combat Hammer from May 17 through 24.

Combat Hammer is a live fire exercise where pilots train in a simulated combat environment using precision guided munitions (PGMs) and laser-guided bombs (LGBs) on a variety of targets.  This year’s Combat Hammer is different because it will be the first night exercise done in two years.  The 177th Fighter Wing pilots will be using both night-vision technology and specialized targeting systems during the exercise.  In addition, the Air Force will collect data from the 177th Fighter Wing pilots during the exercise to determine the effectiveness of the munitions and make weapons systems improvements where necessary.

 During the exercise, the 177th pilots will be firing AGM-65 “Maverick” missiles.  The Maverick is a tactical, air-to-surface guided missile designed for close air support, interdiction and defense suppression mission. It provides stand-off capability and and is capable of striking a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, transportation equipment, and fuel storage facilities.

In addition, 177th Fighter Wing pilots will be using other munitions including laser-guided bombs ranging from 500-pound to 2000-pound variations.  Laser-guided bombs are unpowered, laser-guided, “flying bombs.”  This bomb was used extensively during the Gulf War and more recently, in Afghanistan against Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces.  
.