Red Flag will run through to the 12th of February at Nellis Air Force Bade in Nevada.
The 57th Wing’s 414th Combat Training Squadron conducts Red Flag exercises to provide aircrews the experience of multiple, intensive air combat sorties in the safety of a training environment, say the U.S. Air Force.
“As Red Flag is aligned with our National Defense Strategy in support of the United States Air Force Warfare Center’s great power competition priority, we expanded the fight airspace, unleashed our aggressor forces to challenge the training audience’s plan and punish their mistakes, and made it significantly more difficult to achieve desired effects on surface targets,” said Col. William Reese, 414th CTS commander.
Starting off the 2021 season, Red Flag 21-1 is hosting about 2,400 participants from nearly 20 American states, three nations and several sister services and will include an array of aircraft such as the F-22, F-35, F-16, EA-18G, F-15E and A-10.
The mission of the 414th CTS is to maximize the combat readiness, capability and survivability of participating units. Red Flag exercises provide realistic, multi-domain training in a combined air, ground, space and electronic threat environment while providing opportunity for a free exchange of ideas between forces.
“Red Flag gives participating units with different mission sets an opportunity to train together during a large-force, joint interoperability live-fly exercise,” said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Consigny, 414th CTS superintendent.
“This experience provides our Combat Air Forces combat-ready squadrons that are prepared to integrate down range for today’s fight or any future near-peer conflict.”
Does the RAF still send aircraft out there occasionally?
Yes. Normally the January red flag event alongside US and Australian participants Not sure what’s happening this year with COVID ETC . Would be interesting to see a UK F35 and Typhoon package armed with Meteor, ASRAAM. Don’t think that mix has happened yet at a Red Flag.
Outrageous. These aircraft should be defending European skies not flying about the desert.
Ummm, Sarcasm?
Red Flag is one of the main reasons why the US and NATO aligned Air Forces are so dominant in the aerial arena and it is a superb training opportunity for the RAF.
The ability to fight a simulated war with the amount of assets available is hugely beneficial. It also gives the UK an opportunity to see aircraft that whilst flown by allies are also flown by peer rivals in action.
I know, pal. We see so many “Europeans should do their own defence” comments i thought I’d balance it
Ahhh
Tell me you are having a laugh?
Yes. See comment above
Doh!!!
Remember watching the Vulcans stirring up the dust. Happy days.
Oh yes the old Vulcan and Buccaneers combination.
Looks like this Red Flag is only for America and its closes allies. That usually means most but not all the gloves come off.
Wonder if someone will try to sneak across Dreamland?