The skies over Savannah have been packed as the USAF William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons Meet resumes after a 19-year hiatus. Nine fighter integration teams from around the country competed in knowledge, basic fighter maneuvers (BFM), air combat maneuvering (ACM), banner, intelligence, and weapons load.
![USAF F-35 from Hill AFB departs Savannah Airport in full afterburner.](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HL-F35-Ropes-1-scaled.jpg)
The F-15, F-22, and F-35 were used by the fighter integration teams.
F-15C
- 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes ANGB, MA
F-15E
- 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC
- 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, ID
F-22
- 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
- 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
- 154th Fighter Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
F-35A
- 158th Fighter Wing, Burlington ANGB, VT
- 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, UT
- 419th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, UT
Command and Control support was brought in and staged at the nearby Hunter Army Airfield.
- 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
- 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan
- 552 Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, OK
The 64th Aggressor Squadron from Nellis AFB, NV provided red air in F-16C aircraft, accompanied by T-38C’s from the 1st Fighter Wing.
![](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Shark-Flex-1-scaled.jpg)
This year, the Air Dominance Center at Savannah Hilton-Head International Airport was selected to host the near-peer-like competition.
Each day, there would be a launch of jets in the morning and one in the afternoon. Length of the sortie varied daily depending on what the focus of the competition was that day.
![](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Raptor-AB-Takeoff-1-The-Aviation-Studio-4-scaled.jpg)
On the ground at the Air Dominance Center, teams could view daily results on a live digital scoreboard. This allows teams to see how they are performing in real time.
![](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HL-F35-Ropes-1-The-Aviation-Studio-2-1-2048x1366.jpg)
A weapons load competition was held for each aircraft type. Three weapons troops represented each fighter wing and would work together to load two AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), and two AIM-9X Sidewinders onto their wing’s aircraft under the scrutiny of three evaluators. Teams were evaluated on safety, speed, and other factors in front of spectators from their wings.
![](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/HL-F35-Ropes-1-The-Aviation-Studio-3-1-2048x1366.jpg)
During the media day on September 13th, The Aviation Studio was given access into the Air Dominance’s brand-new fifth-gen aircraft hangar to watch the 4th, 104th, and 366th F-15 Fighter Wings compete during the weapons load competition. The 104th Fighter Wing’s team took an early lead before winning the F-15 competition. The wing later won the F15 v F-22 v F-35 weapons load competition, winning the Overall Weapons Load Competition.
![](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Raptor-AB-Takeoff-1-The-Aviation-Studio-2-scaled.jpg)
On the last day of the William Tell 2023, the F-15 Eagle and F-22 Raptor were pitted against eachother for an “Eagle vs Raptor Afterburner Takeoff Competition”.
![](https://theaviationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Raptor-AB-Takeoff-1-The-Aviation-Studio-3-scaled.jpg)
On Friday, September 15th, the winners for all categories were announced. Here are the results…
– CMSGT “PETE” LUSSE TOP MAINTENANCE TEAM: 1st Fighter Wing
– WEAPONS LOAD COMPETITION OVERALL WINNER: 104th Fighter Wing
– COL JESSE C. WILLIAMS TOP INTEL TEAM: 1st Fighter Wing
– BIG EYE TASK FORCE TOP C2 WING: 552nd Air Control Wing
– Lt COL JAMES HARVEY TOP F-15 WING: 104th Fighter Wing
– BRIG GEN ROBIN OLDS TOP F-35 WING: 158th Fighter Wing
– CAPT EDDIE RICKENBACKER TOP F-22 WING: 1st Fighter Wing
– MAJ RICHARD I. BONG FIGHTER INTEGRATION AWARD: 3rd Wing, 466th Fighter Wing, 388th/419th Fighter Wing