RED FLAG 14-1…….. They’re back………….
After the Sequestration of 2013, it was good to hear and see the jets flying again at Nellis.
Red Flag 14-1,with the Royal Australian Air Force E-7 and F-18s, and the Royal Air Force with their Typhoons and Tornados joined the Air Force F-15s, F-16s, F-22s. Red team aggressor F-16s from the 64th joined the F-15s from the 65th Aggressor Squadron. Blue team Air F-16cs from the 140th FW,120th FS joined the F-22s from the 1st FW,27th FS. Interdiction aircraft included B-2,F-15E,F-18 from the 13thBS,391stFS, and MFAS 314th respectively. SEAD aircraft included F-16CM from the 55th FS, and EA-18G from EAS 132,NAS Whidbey Island. Command and control aircraft included E-3, 964th AACS,EA-6B,MTEWCS 4,E-8,16th ACCS, and the EC130 from the 43rd ECS, Davis Monthan. Refueling provided by the KC-135’s from the 92nd ARW. SAR units flew the HH-60 from 41st RS, Davis-Monthan,HC-130J from the 71st RS, Davis-Monthan. Reconnaissance provided by VP-40 NAS WHidbey flying the P-3C.RC-135 from the 38th RS,Offut AFB, and the. EP-3C from VQ-1 NAS Whidbey Island.
A wide variety of aircraft with a wide variety of personnel with the one goal of learning to fly, communicate, and survive together. The interesting thing about the Red Flag is that the main goal is not to “win ” but to learn to work together utilizing all the different platforms, from the different services, Air Force, Navy,Marines, and different nations.
It seems in this day and age, just looking at the upheaval in the world, this exercise is more relevant today than ever. The chance that any force working the the world will be of a coalition type force, the integration of multiple platforms from different nations is almost a certainty. Better to train now than to try and figure it all out in the battlespace.