B-1 bomber aircrews complete Combat Hammer exercise Published March 3, 2015 By Senior Airman Hailey Staker 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- B-1 aviators from the 37th Bomb Squadron teamed up with base maintainers, support staff and loaders as part of an exercise to test the base's ability to employ Joint Direct Attack Munitions against moving targets. The 37th BS Tigers employed GBU-31 and GBU-54 laser JDAMs against targets at the Eglin Test and Training Complex Range on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., as part of the Air Force's air-to-ground Weapon System Evaluation Program known as Combat Hammer. "Combat Hammer evaluates a wide range of weapon systems across the combat Air Force including, 14 separate [aircraft] and 21 different precision guided munitions," said Capt. Robert Wasil, 37th BS chief of weapons and tactics. "The purpose of the exercise is to operationally assess and evaluate the reliability, maintainability and accuracy of various precision-guided munitions and high technology air-to-ground munitions, with each exercise including a variety of aircraft." Equipped with a laser seeker, which aids in its ability to demonstrate accuracy, the laser JDAM can be employed to engage stationary and moving targets on the ground. Combat Hammer also evaluates weapon building, storage, employment and impact. As a result, munitions, maintenance and operations all play a role, Wasil added. Ellsworth is home to two of the world's three B-1 combat squadrons and provides the majority of support for deployment taskings involving the B-1. Since 2007, Ellsworth B-1 squadrons have deployed 12 of every 18 months in support of missions in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, rapidly delivering massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against adversaries, and implementing combat power anywhere on the globe. The results of the exercise will potentially help determine recommendations on how to improve tactics and systems incorporated in upcoming Combat Hammer exercises.