U.S. Navy air wing plane captains from VAQ-135 "Black
Summary
U.S. Navy air wing plane captains from VAQ-135 "Black Ravens," Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., monitor the engines of an EA-18G Growler while other maintenance and ground crew members accomplish pre-launch procedures for a sortie at the Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) flight line in Gulfport, Miss., during Exercise Southern Strike 15 (SS15) Oct. 30, 2014. SS15 is a total force, multiservice training exercise hosted by the Mississippi National Guard's CRTC, Oct. 27 through Nov. 7, 2014. The SS15 exercise emphasizes air-to-air, air-to-ground, and special operations forces training opportunities. These events are integrated into demanding hostile and asymmetric scenarios with actions from specialized ground forces and combat and mobility air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gregory Brook/ Released)