Red Flag session for U.S. only

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003 | 9:58 a.m.

While Air Force pilots are engaged in mock combat over the 2.9-million-acre Nevada Test and Training Range, a specialized operations group will be testing its skills in coordinating an air war over the next 10 days at Nellis Air Force Base.

About 90 airmen from the Air Force's 32nd Air Operations Group in Europe will be working in an air operations center practicing their skills in developing and executing air campaign plans during Red Flag, combat training exercises held four times a year at Nellis.

The airmen are part of a Falconer squadron that can be deployed to run air wars, squadron commander Lt. Col. Robert Evans said.

"Red Flag will allow us to train in a dynamic and challenging environment, which is typical of today's expeditionary air operations," Evans said. "This is something we can't typically do (in Europe) because of the intensity. The realism that Red Flag provides is a tremendous opportunity we just can't duplicate."

The training exercise involves dividing the test and training range in half, with one side playing the role of an invading nation. The exercises include air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and search-and-rescue operations.

Red Flag participants are also challenged with simulated anti-aircraft artillery, surface-to-air missiles and targets.

Normally there are four Red Flags every year, two involving only U.S. forces and two involving U.S. and foreign forces. This year two of the exercises were canceled due to the war in Iraq and troop deployments.

This month's Red Flag, which runs through Oct. 31, is for U.S. forces only. More than 2,300 people and 97 aircraft are expected to be at Nellis to participate in the exercise.