“Gator 11, check,” she said over the primary frequency at the appointed check in time.

After a long silence, she heard, “3.”

“Gator 11, check,” she said again, hoping Coach would come up this time.

“3,” came the reply after another silence. At least Magic was on frequency, she thought.

Before she could try another check in, Coach came up on the primary frequency, “Gator 12.”

Satisfied that all players were on the same frequency and ready, she called ground for taxi clearance for the three ship. The flight taxied out to the end of the runway. After their flares were armed and final checks accomplished by the End of Runway crew, Moss called for clearance for takeoff.

After a brief delay for a Customs UH-60 Blackhawk to execute an approach, Moss’ three ship was cleared for takeoff. They took the runway and took off sequentially in ten second intervals. Coach rejoined in a tactical line abreast formation a mile off Moss’ right wing, and Magic maintained a one-mile trail as the stinger.

As they made their way over the crystal blue waters of the Atlantic, Moss checked in with Miami center and they were cleared to work from surface to fifty thousand feet within the confines of Warning Area W-465. After a quick ninety degree, 5G check turn to the left, followed by a one hundred eighty degree 7G turn to the right to ensure their bodies and systems were ready to sustain high G maneuvering, Moss set up the first engagement.

“Next set will be a defensive perch setup,” she said over the primary frequency. She and Coach would fly line abreast of each other while Magic would maintain one-mile trail. At the “Fight’s On” call, they would assess who Magic was engaging and execute a coordinated defensive break turn. The intent of the exercise was to simulate having a bandit sneak up on them, forcing them to maneuver to defeat any shots, and work together to kill the adversary.

Once they were at the appropriate altitude and airspeed, Moss called, “Gator 11 is ready.”

“Gator 12 ready,” Coach replied.

“Adversary ready,” Magic echoed.

“Gator’s fight’s on, Gator 12 break right, bogey six o’clock, two miles!” Moss called, seeing the tiny speck of Magic’s F-16 directly behind Coach.

Moss tightened her legs and abs as she started the hard break turn to the right. She focused on her Anti-G Straining Maneuver as the force of seven times her bodyweight pressed down on her. As she made it through the turn, she could see Magic’s F-16 saddling up behind Coach as he also broke right while ejecting self-protection flares. As Coach and Magic merged, Coach reversed the direction of his turn, forcing the fight away from Moss’ jet. It was exactly as she had briefed in accordance with F-16 standard tactics. She checked for a good tone from the captive carry AIM-9 training missile on her right wing and pressed the red pickle button on the sidestick, simulating an AIM-9 shot.