Lt. Brad Johnson exercised the controls to his F-15 Eagle as he looked out at the crew chief.

Everythings okay sir, he heard over the intercom as the crew chief reported that the jet was operational.

Outstanding, Brad replied. Pull the chocks, he watched as the crew chief signaled to the men under the jet.

Youre clear sir, the crew chief said as he walked up to the nose and pulled the cord to the intercom out. Then he walked back to the front of the Eagle.

Brad eased on the power and began to taxi from his parking spot. He returned the crew chiefs salute as he taxied past.

Brad stopped short of the runway and watched as his flight leader and the number two began a formation take off. Looking over his right shoulder he saw his wingman pull up beside him.

Brad looked back onto the runway. After seeing that it was clear he taxied onto it.

Brad watched as his wingman taxied into position on his right and slightly behind him. He eased the power on and watched as the engines stabilized at eighty percent power. Then he looked over at his wingman and raised his right fist with two fingers extended, and after making sure his wingman saw him, began to twirl them. His wingman responded with thumbs up and eased on the power in his own jet.

Brad nodded his head and released his brakes.

He felt the Eagle start to move as he slid the twin throttle forward into full afterburner.

Brad returned his attention to his heads up display. When he saw his airspeed hit 150 knots he eased the stick back and stabilized at ten degrees nose up. He quickly felt the jet lift off of the runway and begin to climb.

Brad reached over and slammed the landing gear lever into the UP position. Then he eased the throttles back to eighty-five percent power and began a gentle climb.

Kadena. Chevy threes airborne, Brad said as he made his first radio call of the day.

Roger, Chevy three. Cleared to flight plan, Brad heard the controller say. Then he heard his wingman check in.

Chevy flight, go button five, Brad heard over the radio.

Two.

Three, Brad said.

Four, he heard as he switched his radio to channel five.

Four.

Three, he said as he called on the new frequency.

Two.

Chevy flight. Chevy one. Alright guys, lets stick to the plan. Brad heard as he glanced at the flight line up card on his right knee. It contained the information on the identities of the rest of Chevy flight.

Chevy one was Capt. Mark Jones. Mark was Brads flight commander. He was also a graduate of the University of Texas. He was 510 tall and spoke in a slow drawl that hid an I.Q. bordering on genius.

Chevy two was 1Lt Chad Gunston. Chad had graduated from the University of Miami. He had short blonde hair and was an avid surfer.

Chevy four was 2nd Lt. Kyle Stone.

Brad leveled off at thirty thousand feet and held his speed at 420 knots indicated as the flight joined up in formation and proceeded to the airspace reserved for them southeast of the island.

Once in the exercise area Brad knew that another four Eagles would be there and that an E-3 AWACS would vector them towards each other. Each flight would attempt to lock the other on radar and fire off its simulated missiles.

Brad scanned his instruments as he remembered the simulated ordnance load for this flight. It consisted of four Aim-120 Amraams, two Aim-9 Sidewinders, and two Aim-7 Sparrows.

Chevy Flight. Show time. Four bogies 170 fifty-five. Brad heard as the E3 AWACS called the flight and vectored them towards their opponents.

Chevy flight. Come left and go burner.

Brad rolled into a left turn and slid his throttles forward until they went into afterburner.

Chevy flight. Chevy one. I have four bogies. Five right. Fifty miles. Mark radioed.

Brad rolled level and glanced in at his radarscope. He quickly locked up the trailing blip and noted the range.

Chevy three concur. Brad radioed as he broke the lock. He watched as his airspeed passed through the sound barrier.

Roger three. Fire according to plan. Chevy flight go mil. Mark replied.

Brad slid the throttles out of afterburner. But held them at military power.

Brad quickly reacquired the lock and saw that the enemy flight had also increased speed.

Fox one, Mark called as Brad armed his first simulated AMRAAM and squeezed the trigger.

Fox one, Brad called as he squeezed his trigger.

Brad scanned his instruments and noted that everything was running properly. Although the left engine was a little hot.

BEEP. BEEP! Brad scanned the radar-warning panel and saw that the other flight had locked on their radars.

Apex. Apex, The AWACS called as the other flight launched their simulated missiles.

Brad rolled into a diving right hand turn. He rolled level after he had lost ten thousand feet in altitude and was flying perpendicular to his old flight path.

Chevy flight. Show time. Splash four. Brad heard as the AWACS informed the flight that all four of the simulated missiles had hit their targets.

Chevy flight reform at point one.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Brad turned the inertial navigation set to point one and followed the steering to the rendezvous point.

Chevy flight say state. Mark ordered.