Jamming away Published Feb. 17, 2015 By Airman 1st Class Deana Heitzman 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. William Gabel, 31st Maintenance Squadron electronic warfare shop production supervisor, prepares an electronic countermeasure pod for a maintenance inspection, Feb. 17, 2015, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. ECM pods on F-16 Fighting Falcons help deflect radar and other detection systems. The pods also protect the aircraft from guided-missile attacks. Electronic warfare systems team members maintain and repair electronic warfare pods that are used to jam the signals of incoming missiles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Deana Heitzman/Released)