F-16s practice ACE capabilities during Sky Shield III
A U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot assigned to the 121st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron adjusts his helmet prior to takeoff during Exercise Sky Shield III at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Aug. 3, 2021. Sky Shield is a bilateral defensive counter air and combat search and rescue exercise designed to validate U.S. Air Forces Central and Qatar Emiri Air Force’s combined capability to defend regional airspace. The event allowed the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing to demonstrate its agile combat employment capabilities of repositioning forces in various locations and rapidly generating combat airpower. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Samuel Earick)