USAF A-10 LANDS ON A DRY LAKE BED

It is part of an exercise to train aircrews to operate in austere conditions.

USAF A-10 lands on a dry lake bed

An A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jet assigned to the 66th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., lands on a dry lake bed during a composite mission application exercise at the Nevada Test and Training Range, April 24, 2017. Training on improvised and degraded landing zones increases force readiness and prepares aircrews for real-world operations in contested areas.

During the same exercise, a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft, assigned to the 57th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., takes off from a dry lake bed. Several U.S. Air Force aircraft can operate in austere conditions, allowing for rapid medical evacuations and the establishment of improvised forward refueling points.

Photo Credits: US Air Force