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A Polish air force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft, left, waits for another aircraft to pass before departure from Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014. Both aircraft departed to participate in exercise EAGLE TALON with NATO partners. This exercise is similar to exercise RED FLAG that takes place in Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and Eileson Air Force Base, Ala., which provides aerial combat tactics training in a combined environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force 2nd Lt. Komrad Zwolinski, TS-11 and PZL-130 training aircraft pilot, boards an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014, for a familiarization flight during Exercise EAGLE TALON. Zwolinski will be an F-16 pilot, and is waiting for a training slot in the U.S. with the U.S. Air Force. The Polish air force hosted Exercise EAGLE TALON for U.S., French and British air assets to increase interoperability and strengthen NATO ties. This is the first time the U.S. participated in this exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force Warrant Officer Cichecki Martin, crew chief, straps in Polish pilots for exercise EAGLE TALON at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014. More than 400 U.S. Airmen from the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, participated in the exercise, contributing to a large force air-to-air and air-to-surface training with NATO allies. The U.S. Aviation Detachment in Poland helped coordinate the U.S. involvement in the Polish exercise as a part of the continuous U.S. presence in Poland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force 1st Lt. Tomasz Grzybowski, F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft pilot, puts on his helmet in preparation to fly with U.S. and NATO allies at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014 during Exercise EAGLE TALON, a Polish-led combined exercise. This is the first time the U.S. has participated in this exercise, which trains pilots to attack and defend targets with NATO allies. Training together in partnership enhances understanding of each other’s tactics and procedures for future combined operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force Warrant Officer Cichecki Martin, crew chief, prepares an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft for flight at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014. Exercise EAGLE TALON, a Polish-led exercise, was first a Polish national exercise that has expanded to a NATO combined exercise in the past few years. Exercise EAGLE TALON trains pilots to attack and defend targets with NATO allies, which increases understanding of other nation’s tactics and techniques for future NATO operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force Corporal Paliwoda Ukosz, fuels technician, refuels an aircraft before its departure, June 10, 2014, to join NATO allies in the sky above Lask Air Base, Poland. The U.S. and Polish continue to work together to refuel aircraft during Exercise EAGLE TALON, a Polish-led combined exercise. There are two shifts for refueling: day shift and night shift. The Polish Air Force refuels aircraft during the daily flying operations, while the U.S. Air Force executes hot pit refueling, which shortens the flying window and increases capability to fix aircraft in a timely manner. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force Warrant Officer Cichecki Martin, crew chief, removes a ladder from an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft in preparation for Exercise EAGLE TALON at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014. NATO allies were either on a blue and red team to simulate friendly and enemy aircraft. During combined exercises such as these, pilots train in a simulated environment to enhance air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force 1st Lt. Tomasz Grzybowski, F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft pilot, and Polish air force 2nd Lt. Komrad Zwolinski, TS-11 and PZL-130 pilot, closes the canopy of the aircraft for departure at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014. Grzybowski and Zwolinski participated in Exercise EAGLE TALON, a Polish-led combined exercise, with NATO partners to increase interoperability and familiarize themselves with foreign procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)
Polish air force Warrant Officer Cichecki Martin, crew chief, taxies a Polish air force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft during Exercise EAGLE TALON at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 10, 2014. Exercise EAGLE TALON enhances pilots’ abilities to operate with NATO allies, accomplish large force formations and execute air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)