Four crews and a C-130J Hercules have deployed to Anchorage, from where they have flown up to 11 hours each day to take part in Exercise RED FLAG Alaska 2022.
According to the Royal Air Force here, Red Flag Alaska offers unrivalled training opportunities.
“Over 70 other aircraft are taking part which requires RAF crews to spend up to 12 hours planning each mission, placing great emphasis on coordination with the other aircraft flying on the exercise in order to achieve mission objectives and win the air war.
Sorties flown have included supporting 15 Squadron RAF Regiment who, in concert with Tactical Air Traffic Controllers, have enabled operations on a remote and austere gravel airstrip. Resupplies of food, water and ammunition have been airdropped with despatch crews from 47 Air Despatch Squadron Royal Logistics Corps, also based at RAF Brize Norton.”
Wing Commander Sjoberg, Officer Commanding 47 Squadron, was quoted as saying:
“47 Squadron are very privileged to participate in Exercise RED FLAG Alaska and we are grateful to the US Air Force for the world-class training they have provided. The exercise has hammered home the lesson that fighting a modern air war is about team-work and cooperation within a large package of aircraft, and with partners on the ground and domains like cyber.
This Exercise will help my crews in future. We’ve also been joined by aircrew from the RAF’s A400 Force, in anticipation of the Atlas attending similar exercises in future.”
Strange to still be using the C130J if it’s retirement is so soon?
But at the end of the article it states that A400M crew came along anyway.
There is a bit of information missing here?
I agree there seems to be a lot of Hercules training going on if their demise was imminent, and presumably there’s a short stay of execution. However, the Atlas aircrew suggest that by this time next year, the Hercs will have gone.
That along with the garage sale of parts.
Shame that RAF is shedding an army/RM enabling asset with indecent haste.
That said HMG seems to be as unable to grasp the military geopolitical implications of what is going on as it balmy immigration policy is driving up prices/wages and strangling growth.
My business can grow: just don’t have any people to grow it.
But the crews are not going…
Most will be moved to other aircraft types and the experience gained will not be lost…
Until the next round of big cuts that is…
Kinda sad. The RAF and even RN used to send large contingents to red flag. Tornados, Jaguars, and Harriers were all a very common sight.
This is Red Flag Alaska though not the one out of Nellis. Iirc only the RAF & RCAF are involved along with US assets in this exercise.
The RAF participate in Red Flag every year.