JBER Weapons Crews Demonstrate Precision in Mission Generation Competition

Crews from the 90th and 525th Aircraft Maintenance Units competed to show their ability to arm F-22 fighters under pressure.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:55pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the various steps and perspectives involved in loading weapons onto an F-22 fighter jet, capturing the complexity and skill of the process.The Mission Generation Competition showcases the precision and coordination required to arm F-22 fighters for combat readiness.Anchorage Today

Weapons-load crews at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska recently participated in the first quarter 2026 Mission Generation Competition, showcasing their skills in arming F-22 fighter jets with precision. The competition involved crews from the 90th and 525th Aircraft Maintenance Units loading AIM-120 and AIM-9X missiles onto the aircraft, demonstrating the coordination and accuracy required for the task.

Why it matters

The Mission Generation Competition is a long-standing tradition at JBER that highlights the critical role of weapons-load crews in ensuring the U.S. Air Force's combat readiness. Their ability to quickly and accurately arm aircraft is essential for pilots to complete their missions successfully.

The details

During the competition, each crew loaded two AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missiles, weighing approximately 350 pounds each, and one AIM-9X short-range heat-seeking missile, weighing around 200 pounds, onto the F-22 fighter jets. The work requires extreme precision, as the crews must align the munitions with millimeter tolerance underneath the aircraft to ensure stability and proper attachment.

  • The Mission Generation Competition took place on April 3, 2026.
  • The competition is a tradition that dates back to the Korean War.

The players

Chief Master Sgt. Thad Burton

A member of the U.S. Air Force who oversees the Mission Generation Competition.

Maj. Christopher Hickman

The commander of the Third Aircraft Maintenance Squadron with the U.S. Air Force.

90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit

One of the competing crews in the Mission Generation Competition.

525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit

The other competing crew in the Mission Generation Competition.

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What they’re saying

“The Mission Generation Competition is designed as a display of our crews' abilities to generate combat-capable aircraft for the Third Wing.”

— Chief Master Sgt. Thad Burton, U.S. Air Force

“When you look at a weapons-load crew, they are a three-member team, and each member has certain responsibilities as they load the munitions.”

— Maj. Christopher Hickman, Commander of the Third Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, U.S. Air Force

“If they don't execute their portion of the load appropriately, what ends up happening is the pilot is unable to execute their mission by releasing that munition. So if they don't do everything that they need to do correctly, you will have a total mission failure.”

— Maj. Christopher Hickman, Commander of the Third Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, U.S. Air Force

What’s next

The winning crew from the Mission Generation Competition will be recognized and may receive additional training or opportunities to showcase their skills.

The takeaway

The Mission Generation Competition at JBER highlights the critical role of weapons-load crews in ensuring the U.S. Air Force's combat readiness. Their precision and coordination in arming fighter jets are essential for successful mission execution, demonstrating the high level of skill and training required for this specialized task.