B-1B Lancer crews from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, have concluded participation in Red Flag-Nellis 25-3, employing a hybrid operations model that combined long-range missions from home station with forward mission planning in Nevada, according to a U.S. Air Force news release.
The training, held 21–31 July at Nellis Air Force Base, saw Dyess aircrews fly daily “VUL” sorties, the most vulnerable phases of simulated strike missions, from Texas to the Nevada Test and Training Range. Mission planning cell teams operated at Nellis, enabling integration with U.S. and allied forces launching locally.
“Not only is it our first Red Flag in three years, but we demonstrated how the B-1 can deliver combat power flexibly by launching from Dyess while seamlessly integrating with joint and coalition forces launching from Nellis,” said Lt. Col. Ashley Cook, commander of the 9th Bomb Squadron.
The exercise included hot-pit refuelling and aircrew swaps at Nellis, with participation from both the active-duty 9th BS and the Air Force Reserve’s 345th BS, highlighting what the service calls “Total Force integration.”
Capt. Nicole Sorrells, 9th BS flight commander, said Red Flag provided one of the first opportunities for new aviators to experience a large-force exercise. “It’s nothing like flying local sorties; we’re face-to-face with other squadrons and partners we’d deploy with. That’s where real integration happens.”
Dyess crews alternated between “Blue Air” strike roles and “Red Air” adversary missions, while coordinating with joint and allied participants in multi-domain scenarios.
Cook said the hybrid approach demonstrated operational agility. “Exercises like this prepare us to be more agile to practice how we would employ against today’s threats.”
Red Flag remains the U.S. Air Force’s flagship large-scale combat training event, aimed at improving survivability, lethality and mission planning in high-threat, realistic conditions.
Noisey smelly things.
Lol.
That is what a mate of mine said about Hinds flying at Mildenhall in the 90s.
Loud, and the air stank with the diesel and dye in the smoke they released.
Ah, you are on about the Russians then ? Yes they stink, we had a iL72 doing holding circuits a few weeks back, horrible smell it made and It lingered for ages. The B1’s just smell like all the US jets, It’s sort of like Hot Dogs !
A mate of mine called for a show of force when we were in Afghan. He expected a pair of USMC F18s to answer as he knew they were in the area, but one of these answered instead. Said it was the most spectacular thing he witnessed. Sadly, I was in Kandahar Town at the time and missed it!
I wonder what will happen if the Russians lose their patience with US threats, and posturings, and demonstratuons of power, and descend to the same level of arrogant childishness ? Will that be it? Can we then have the nuclear war we so desire, and feel we can, of course, then blame it on Russian aggression ? Before it’s “lights out” for everyone ?