They say Vegas never sleeps, and this was particularly true during the two-week-long second edition of this year’s ‘Red Flag’ exercise, which wrapped up on 10 March 2017.
Nellis departure, Phantom41 flight of four Fox 16s on the Dream Four departure climbing flight level 190.” This radio call was made by the lead Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 heading a four-ship flight climbing out of Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) for the first sortie of Red Flag 17-2 during the afternoon of 27 February 2017. Fight’s on!
Nellis and NTTR
Red Flag, a realistic combat training exercise involving air forces of the United States and its allies, is coordinated at Nellis AFB, Nevada, and conducted on the vast bombing and gunnery ranges of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). It is one of a series of advanced training programmes administered by the United States Air Force Warfare Centre at Nellis and executed through the 414th Combat Training Squadron (CTS). Aircraft and personnel deploy to Nellis for Red Flag under the ‘Air Expeditionary Force’ concept and make up the exercise’s ‘Blue’ (friendly) forces. By working together, these Blue forces are able to utilise the diverse capabilities of their aircraft to execute specific missions, such as air interdiction, combat search and rescue, close air support, dynamic targeting and defensive counter air. These forces use various tactics to attack NTTR targets such as mock airfields, vehicle convoys, tanks, parked aircraft, bunkered defensive positions and missile sites. These targets are defended by a variety of simulated ‘Red’ (hostile) ground and air threats, normally provided by F-16s of the 414th CTS and occasionally supplemented by USAF T-38s or civilian contractors like Draken International, to give participant aircrews the most realistic combat training possible.
USMC EA-6B Prowlers participated for the last time at a Red Flag exercise
Multinational training
The second edition of Red Flag each year is the one in which European forces participate. This year was no exception, and alongside a variety of squadrons from all four branches of the US military the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) joined with ten of their F-16s (six from the Netherlands and four from their permanent training facility at Tucson, Arizona), the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) brought eight Tranche-2 Eurofighters and two Lockheed KC-130 tanker/transports, and the Singapore Air Force sent Boeing CH-47 Chinooks from their training detachment in Texas. The German Air Force was scheduled to participate but had to cancel for undisclosed reasons. The 20th Fighter Wing from Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina was the exercise’s core unit, meaning 20th FW senior leadership worked closely with Red Flag staff to ensure participants were aware of and able to properly leverage the capabilities of Nellis. “The number one objective is integration with partner nations,” said Colonel John Bosone, 20th FW deputy commander and Red Flag 17-2 Air Expeditionary Wing commander. “I want everyone who participates to realise that even though we are fortunate enough to have outstanding equipment and weapons systems, it’s the people executing the mission that will ultimately ensure mission success.”
Unique platforms like the E-8 JSTARS are a key part of what makes ‘Red Flag’ the premier air exercise in the world
Mission employment
Each day hosts a unique scenario, for example a response to an international superpower that seizes a small neighbouring nation, defending against an attack, addressing a hostage situation or localised regional conflict initiated by a rogue nation. In each case, the exercises represent the reality of the world that confronts us today. Tactics continue to evolve and participants must be calculative and wary about their approach to unfolding situations. A solo F-16C Aggressor was ‘captured’ fast and low on the Blue side of the range, and it was noted that the aircraft was trying to lure Blue forces into a pursuit to lead them subsequently into a Red Air ambush. Not simply a scripted exercise, but innovative and dynamic activity challenges reactions and creates tremendous learning experiences in a safe environment. Lt Col Haarsma, detachment commander of the Dutch F-16s, elaborates on the training value during the mission: “The training value for pilots is extremely high. Everything evolves like it could happen tomorrow in real combat situations. The results of the Blue forces in the air during the mission are directly relayed to the aggressors (Red Air). For example, they hear directly if Blue Air shot down aggressors or if bombs were dropped on enemy radar systems. With this information Red Air adjusts their strategy, which means Blue has to be flexible as well. This learning curve is unique in the world.”
F-16 aggressors serve as ‘Red Air’ during the exercise
First and last timers
Red Flag 17-2 was an exercise with some first timers but also the conclusion of a chapter. The US Marine Corps Grumman EA-6B Prowlers of VMAQ-4 Seahawks are set for retirement and the unit will stand down during June this year thus ending a long history of Prowler participation in Flag exercises. For the Spanish Air Force it was the first time operating their Eurofighter Typhoons some 8,000 km from home in order to demonstrate the ability to deploy far away and to train with the Tranche-2 Eurofighters, particularly in the air to ground role. Considering the fact that a 100 per cent mission available rate wasachieved during the exercise, both ground and air crews succeeded in that mission. The introduction of the Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod and the new AIM- 9X air-to-air missile were milestones for the Royal Netherlands Air Force during Red Flag 17-2 as explained by Lt Col Haarsma: “We received the first AAQ-33 during the first half of 2016. It detects and identifies automatically tracks and laser designates small tactical targets at long ranges. It also supports employment of all laser- and GPS guided weapons against multiple fixed and moving targets. It gives us more information and thus better situational awareness for current mission requirements.”
Enhancing performance
Since its inception in 1975, Red Flag has served as the pinnacle of air-to-air combat training for the United States Air Force and its allies. Exercises such as Red Flag bear a close resemblance to the way modern conflicts are addressed, as coalitions of a broad number of specialised and international assets. In such cases Red Flag training is critical to prepare for such real world deployments. The objective of Red Flag has been to provide participants with ten “combat mission” experiences before entering combat and as such greatly increase the performance and survivability of participants. This approach has demonstrated tremendous success inensuring US and coalition forces are the best-trained, most prepared military forces on the planet.
A Dutch F-16 heads for a night flight
Text and Photos: Remco Stalenhoef, Stephan van Geem and Patrick Smitshoek