Gorgeous photo shows an Aggressors’ F-16 preparing for take off shortly after sunrise

An Aggressors’ F-16 prepares to take off to participate in training exercise.

Captured shortly after sunrise on Jan. 24, 2016, the gorgeous photo in this post shows an F-16 Fighting Falcon belonging to the 18th Aggressor Squadron preparing for take off from Eielson Air Force Base.

The aircraft in the picture was taking part in training exercise Forceful Tiger at Kadena Air Base, Japan, that gathered ,ore than 150 maintainers from the 354th Fighter Wing to keep the Aggressors in the air and prepare U.S. Airmen, Sailors and Marines for contingency operations along with coalition partners in the Pacific theater.

Aimed to demonstrate the 18th Wing’s combat capabilities to defend Okinawa, Forceful Tiger was a large force exercise (LFE) during which a total of 132 aircraft, including 65 F-15 Eagles, 14 F-16 Fighting Falcons, 32 F-22 Raptors, one E-3 Sentry and 20 USMC F/A-18 Hornets, were involved.

Image credit: Staff Sgt. Shawn Nickel / U.S. Air Force