NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – In modern air combat's fast-paced, high-stakes world, intelligence is not just an asset. It is the foundation upon which every mission is built. For Major Alex Clawson and his team, Red Flag is more than another exercise. It is a proving ground where intelligence shapes the battlespace, and mission success begins long before takeoff.
"We provide the combat intelligence cell team for all Red Flag participants," said Clawson, the 552nd Air Control Wing's senior intelligence officer. "Essentially, we are the wing-level intel support for a wide array of mission design series aircraft spanning multiple nations. We support both mission planning and work directly with unit-level intel teams embedded in each squadron."
The phrase "intelligence drives operations" is more than a saying. It is a fundamental truth of warfare. "A plan is only as good as the intelligence behind it," Clawson explained. "To craft an effective strategy, you have to understand how your adversary operates. That is where intelligence preparation of the battlespace comes in. We lay the groundwork for the entire mission planning process."
Red Flag emphasizes joint and coalition warfare, requiring seamless integration between branches and allied nations. The exercise provided a rare opportunity for intelligence professionals to see how different forces operate.
"Each service employs intelligence slightly differently," Clawson said. "The Navy and Marines, for example, utilize unit-level intel in ways that differ from the Air Force. It is not a matter of right or wrong. It is just different. This was a great learning experience for us and an opportunity to help our coalition partners refine how they support their platforms."
One of the biggest challenges was language, not in the traditional sense, but in military terminology. "Words mean things," Clawson noted. "And they mean different things to different services. This is an Air Force-led exercise, so our Navy and coalition partners had to adapt to our analytical processes and terminology. At the same time, we had to learn how they approach problem-solving. Establishing a common language to include acronyms was one of the biggest takeaways."
The CIC was not directly embedded with command and control units during Red Flag, but their impact was undeniable. The teams have squadron-level intel, but they were not embedded during execution. "C2 teams make the tough calls in battle management," Clawson said. "But those decisions are only as good as the intelligence they are based on. Whether it is a Marine, Sailor, or Airman running C2, their ability to make informed decisions in combat hinges on accurate, timely intel."
For Clawson's team, Red Flag was not just about supporting the mission. It was about growing as intelligence professionals. "This was an eye-opening experience, especially for our younger intel Airmen," he said. "Many of them have only worked with Control and Reporting Centers, so this was their first time supporting a broad spectrum of assets from fighter pilots to bomber crews and coalition aircraft. Seeing firsthand how each platform prioritizes intelligence was priceless."
As Red Flag concludes, the intelligence team from the 552nd AEW departs with a deeper understanding of joint and coalition operations, a greater appreciation for interoperability, and a renewed commitment to ensuring intelligence remains the bedrock of mission success.
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2025 18:53 |
| Story ID: | 493402 |
| Location: | NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Intel Shapes the Fight: 552nd Air Expeditionary Wing Drives Success at Red Flag, by Garrett Cole, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
