The F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15 Eagle will participate in the first William Tell exercise in 19 years

Fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets of the US Air Force will take part in the Willam Tell exercise. The event will take place in September in the state of Georgia after a 19-year hiatus.

Here's What We Know

More than 800 US Air Force pilots are expected to take part in Exercise William Tell. They will represent nine fighter squadrons.

Air Combat Command:

• F-15E Strike Eagle, Seymour Johnson Base, North Carolina;
• F-15E Strike Eagle, Mountain Home, Idaho;
• F-22 Raptor, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia;
• F-35 Lightning II, Hill Base, Utah.

Pacific Air Forces:

• F-22 Raptor, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska;
• F-22 Raptor, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii;
• F-35 Lightning II, Eielson Base, Alaska.

Air National Guard:

• F-15C/D Eagle, Barnes Base, Massachusetts;
• F-35 Lightning II, Burlington, Vermont.

Crews will test each other's offensive and defensive capabilities. Ground personnel will compete in fighter maintenance. Exercise organisers will post the final results daily on social media.

From 1954 to 1996, the U.S. Air Force held Exercise William Tell every two years. The practice was abandoned in the 1990s after the end of the Cold War. The exception was 2004. 19 years ago, the U.S. Air Force held the exercise to commemorate the 50th anniversary.

Source: Air & Space Forces