Extra Red Flag Week Allows For More Missions

Extra Red Flag Week Allows For More Missions

By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jan 18, 2009 9:14:05 EST

In the most significant change in its more than 30-year history, the Red Flag aerial combat exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., will expand from two to three weeks for the exercise that begins in late February and will include a greater emphasis on close-air support missions.

The changes will allow Red Flag to more closely represent how a modern war likely would unfold, said Lt. Col. Paul Johnson, deputy commander of Nellis’ 414th Combat Training Squadron, which runs Red Flag.

“Red Flag has not evolved the same way as the rest of the world has evolved as far as the more capable threats that are out there and also the more capable weapons systems the U.S. Air Force currently has,” Johnson said. “To make it more realistic, we’re trying to go to this three-week Flag to get some more realistic training and try to cater more to what’s going on right now in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The number of aircraft participating will jump from an average of about 70 to more than 100, he said.

The Red Flag expansion is a trial only, and Air Combat Command ultimately will decide whether to go with the three-week exercise for one or more of the five annual iterations or to return to the two-week format.

more including a nice, but big pic (if you click on it)


http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/01/airforce_redflag_011709w/%2e