U.S. Air Force Col. John Kent, an F-15 Eagle pilot assigned to the the 142nd Fighter Wing, Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., steps to his aircraft before flying a mission in support of Amalgam Dart 2009, June 19. Amalgam Dart is a field test of the Department of Defense's ability to rapidly deploy a total air integrated defense system in the U.S. in order to deter, detect and defeat airborne threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey)