Photo By Master Sgt. Robert Hicks | Senior Airman Patrick Ferraris, 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron F-16 Fighting...... read more read more
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Deep in the Nevada desert, exercise Red Flag-Nellis 21-3 provides world-class joint force training through a stronger, more dangerous threat.
Red Flag unleashes the aggressor nation as they refine threat replication, apply advanced jamming and increase threat capabilities to maximize training in non-permissive environments.
“This exercise provides realistic combat scenarios designed to challenge and test the capabilities of our pilots, maintainers and logistics teams,” said Lt. Col. Evan, 27th Fighter Squadron director of operations. “Our warfighters are always ready for combat, but Red Flag tests us to see where we can improve.”
This Red Flag’s training environment includes an expanded airspace, an advanced surface-to-air threat and cutting-edge air-to-air threats. With both F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning IIs flying as adversaries, this exercise strives to create a greater challenge for the Joint Force.
“Training in this environment is very beneficial for our team,” Evan said. “When we train at home, we fight a mix of F-22s and T-38 Talons as our adversaries. Here, we get to train against multiple high-end threats teamed with the F-16s from the 64th Aggressor Squadron whose primary mission is to study our adversaries’ maneuvers and techniques and use them against us.”
The 64th AGRS Airmen go through a lengthy certification process where they gain a comprehensive understanding of U.S. adversaries and their tactics. This preparation ensures each aggressor can provide a challenging, yet realistic, threat to maximize joint force training.
“We’re subject matter experts when it comes to our enemy air forces,” said Lt. Col. Chris, commander, 64th AGRS. “Based on our focus toward great power competition, we need to make sure that blue air is ready, and we do that by presenting the best possible atmosphere we can.”
Alongside the 64th AGRS, the 414th Combat Training Squadron makes air-to-ground employment more challenging with complex target areas and camouflage and concealment techniques across multiple spectrums.
“Red Flag’s goal is to challenge, disrupt and if able, deny our communication and interoperability,” Evan said. “They force errors and punish mistakes. We get better by working through these problems in the air and as we debrief each fight.”
Leadership agrees that having our sister services here is beneficial for building a more dominant force.
“When we arrive to Nellis, we set up shop with our sister services and figure out how all of our strengths mesh together and integrate those for a more advanced capability,” said Col. Brandon, Air Expeditionary Wing commander. “Red Flag represents the highest level of training that we offer.”
| Date Taken: | 08.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2021 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 402233 |
| Location: | NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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