Nellis Red Flag - 2023
Red Flag 2023/1
Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise which involves pilots from the United States, NATO and other allied countries. The exercise is hosted north of Las Vegas over the Nevada Test and Training Range. This is the United States Air Force (USAF) premier military training area with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. With 1,900 possible targets, realistic threat systems and an enemy force that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world it is the home of the “peacetime battlefield”.The purpose of Red Flag is to refine the pilot’s skills in real time air to air combat situations and is normally held four times per year.
Two forces consisting of between 70-100 aircraft fly at least two sorties per day/night over a two week period. Blue force is always the “good guys” and Red force is the “bad guys”. The “Reds” are pilots based at Nellis AFB; they fly the specially painted and very colourful F-16 “Aggressor” aircraft and the recently stood up F-35As from the 65th AGRS, but only a few of these have special paint schemes.
The Blue forces position east over the ranges and the Red force position to the west of the ranges. Then the Blue force mission is to destroy targets in the ranges and return home safe. The mission of the “Reds” is simple destroy the Blue forces before they reach their target and complete the mission.
The air to air combat and battle scenarios are over seen and controlled by an “Air Boss” he/she fly’s above the battle in a Boeing E-3 Sentry”AWACS”aircraft. All aircraft are monitored aboard the “AWACS” by real time telemetry on computers which show how the battle is unfolding.
As Blue force aircraft is engaged and hit it leaves the air battle and returns to base, if a Red force aircraft is knocked out it is allowed to regenerate and re-join the battle.
Once all the forces have returned to base the mission data is then collated and presented back to all the aircrew at a large debrief by the “Air Boss”.
Red Flag 2023/1 Attendee’s
Red Flag 2023/1 commenced 23rd January and ended 10rd February 2023 and hosted aircraft from all the units below.
B-52H 2nd BW Barksdale AFB LA
E-3B/C 552nd ACW Tinker AFB Ok
KC-135R 6th AMW Macdill AFB FL
F-22A 94th FS Langley AFB VA
HC-130J 71 RQS Moody AFB GA
F-16C 169th FS SC ANG McEntire JNGB SC
EA-18G VAQ-133 NAS Whitbey Island WA
EA-18G VAQ-135 NAS Whitbey Island WA
F-35B VMFA-211 MCAS Yuma AZ
F-16C/D 57th ATG Nellis AFB NV
F-35A 57th ATG Nellis AFB NV
EA-18G No6 Sqn RAAF RAF Amberley Australia
Typhoon FGR4 No2 Sqn RAF Coningsby UK
Also present were A-10Cs from the 355th FW at Davis Monthan AFB AZ, these were flying “Green Flag” missions during the exercise.
After the very cold spell of weather cleared, AR were allowed some great photography of the aircraft departing and landing. Another great start to a New Year.
Author Mark Forest
Photography David Yarnell & Frank Cooper
