Citat:Three weeks of intensive Red Flag aerial warfighting culminated Feb. 12, 2016.
This first of four Red Flag exercises of 2016 featured 39 units, 120 aircraft and 2400 personnel from three countries, the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
Citat:Col. Kenny Smith, Commander of the 57th OG noted great value for participants to understand the unique capabilities of each unit (F-22A, F-16CJ, RAAF F/A-18F, B-1B, E-3G B40/45, E-7A etc), and collaborate as a team. Nationalities and specific unit identities quickly go by the wayside as participants gel into an integrated “Blue Force.”
F-15C of the California ANG 144th FW & 194th FS "Griffins" based at Fresno ANGB launches from Nellis AFB during Red Flag 16-1.
Group Captain Philip Gordon, Air Expeditionary Wing Vice Commander, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) noted that a very real portion of the exercise for the RAAF was the deployment from Australia to Nellis AFB Las Vegas, NV. The RAAF deployment of 400 personnel, 14 aircraft and all required support equipment took one week with stops in Guam and Hawaii. The deployment was supported by the RAAF C-17 and KC-30A refueling tanker and the group was proud to have departed and arrived on time. Such an effort by Australia represents a very successful force projection halfway around the world. The exercise also gave the RAAF an opportunity to deploy the legacy F/A-18As and the F/A-18Fs side by side in a combat environment.
From day one of the exercise, the learning curve is steep. Rather than “dumb targets” working in isolation, Red Air threats are fully integrated and the entire adversary force thinks and adapts. It is an intense and very unforgiving environment by design, and if Blue air is not fully integrated, it is a given they will take losses. Even the ultimate air superiority platform the F-22A Raptor will get shot down when they make mistakes. This is the entire purpose of Red Flag, the best lessons are learned from experience and this ensures they are learned before they are in theatre in a real conflict.
New aircraft capabilities are changing the face of the air battle, and the participating Air Forces are adapting their tactics to utilize these most effectively. The RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets AESA radar adds enhanced capabilities that make the aircraft and the Blue force more effective. The wide variety of sensors combined with the stealth of the F-22A provide an unparalleled ability to gather and fuse information and create an effective picture of what is happening upfront in the battle space. These capabilities enable Raptor pilots to function as battle managers, passing information to other platforms and as such becoming force multipliers. The amount of information from Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, Drones, and Sensor laden aircraft (RC-135s, U-2, P-8, P-3C, E-7A, E-3G & others) is staggering and must be assessed and directed effectively.
This Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail (from 2 Sqd RAAF Base Williamtown) is noted for "Hide & Seek Champions 19 Aug - 15 Dec 2015"
The opportunity to deploy these assets side by side “in theatre” and learn how best to utilize is unrivaled.
1st Lt. 1st Lt. Emily Lebeau, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron air battle manager, Tinker Emily Lebeau, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron air battle manager,
1st Lt. Emily Lebeau, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron air battle manager, (Tinker AFB, OK) noted that her unit had deployed the vastly improved E-3G Block 40/45 (its second Red Flag appearance) to manage the airspace and provide the big picture in support of the F-22As and other assets. The technology leap from 1970’s technology to current is staggering and represents quite a steep learning curve. In effect E-3 operators let the F-22As employ their tactics, while providing a broader overview of the theater ensuring no movement is overlooked.
B1-B "Last Lancer" from the 7th BW, 9th BS "Bats" out of Dyess AFB Texas launches on a Red Flag 16-1 sortie, Nellis AFB.
Given Red air regenerates after being killed, there is a continuous and ongoing Red air threat for the 90-minute exercise window (Red Flag consists of two 90-minute exercise windows one at night, one at day each day during the 3-week exercise). Group Captain Philip Gordon, AEW VC RAAF noted the need to manage the battle with available weapons resources. While the F-22As may appear to be the obvious choice to eliminate the air threats, they only carry 6 AMRAAMs. As a result, battle managers on the “networked” Blue Force determine the best asset to engage the threat. Real time information and target data is communicated to the designated asset to engage. In many cases, AMRAAMs are “fired” (simulated) from an F/A-18 or F-15E on a strike mission (exiting the range after attacking their target) an F-16CJ on a SEAD mission or from another platform – preserving AMRAAMs on the F-22 for a future threat.
There is no question that the advanced capabilities of the F-22A, the incoming F-35, the E-3G, E-7A, F/A-18F, EA-18G and other platforms are changing the face of aerial warfare. Utilized effectively, the integrated team approach to the aerial campaign will effectively overwhelm and defeat any threat in the foreseeable future. Red Flag ensures all operators are well prepared to achieve success day one of any conflict.
Citat:The second Red Flag of 2016 featured an international coalition training against a dynamic and integrated “Red Adversary” Force.
The exercise, running from Feb. 29 to Mar. 11 included some 23 units representing the US Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and contingents from NATO partners: the Aeronautica Militare (AM – Italian Air Force) and the Turkish Air Force (TAF).
Participating units launched from Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, and trained over the 2.9 million acres of land, and 12,000 sq miles of airspace afforded by the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).
All told, some 75 aircraft (and 1700 personnel) participated in the exercise including eight Italian Eurofighter Typhoons (or F-2000A, as the aircraft is designated in Italy) at their first Red Flag and the Turkish Air Force contingent made of six F-16s and two KC-135R tankers. The US team included the F-16CM, F-15E, F-15C, E-3G a variety of helicopters, drones (MQ-9), tankers (KC-135R) specialized aircraft and 2 of the 3 Global Strike Command bombers, the B-52H and B-1B. The wide variety of aircraft are typical of a coalition force should it be thrust into battle.
The Red Air units included dedicated F-16C Aggressor units supplemented by AT-38Cs from the 435th FTS of Randolph AFB and the 88th FTS of Sheppard AFB, participant in the Euro-NATO Joint Pilot Training Program.
Fast and exhibiting a very small radar cross section, the AT-38C is representative of the aircraft that many potential adversaries utilize today. Often overlooked, the Red Adversary Force includes ground assets that are very real threats.
Colonel A. Bernard AEW Commander for Red Flag 16-2 indicated that “the Red Adversary is an advanced, agile and integrated force that includes both air and surface threats, acts like a country, and the combined assets create the finest adversary that we could ever face.”
While never long on details, suffice it to say there are radar emitters, SAM (Surface to Air Missile) sites, and a number of other challenging weapon systems (the participation of a virtual Patriot battery implies involvement in neutralizing surface to surface missiles fired by the Red Adversary) that the Blue Force must either avoid, or neutralize during each of the approx. 10 night and day sorties of the exercise.
Mission sets flown by Blue Force include Close Air Support (CAS), Air to Ground (A2G), Air to Air (A2A), Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD), Dynamic Targeting, Personnel recovery and more.
One of three command and control (C2) groups, a Marine Air Control Squadron (MACS-1) coordinated aircraft movement and tasking within their designated area. C2 functions were also performed by the 726th Air Control Squadron and in the air by the 963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron flying the E-3B/C/G. The US Navy was represented by the HCS-21 “BlackJacks” flying the MH-60 in primarily a personnel recovery mission.
The Turkish Air Force utilized the multi-role F-16 to its full spectrum in the exercise, while the Italian AM primarily used the F-2000 in an Air to Air role, though a couple of F-2000s were utilized in a swing role, carrying Litening targeting pods and dropping inert GBU-16 Paveway IIs on designated range targets. Colonel M. Bertoli, the Italian AM detachment commander, indicated that this is not the primary role the AM plans for the F-2000, however they are validating the capability for select operations and to support the ongoing export initiatives of the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Col. Bertoli indicated that “we consider it [Red Flag] the best training, so we brought our young pilots so they can train our Typhoon force for years come. The AM thinks that this [Red Flag] is by far one of the best combat training environments our pilots can find all over the world. So we committed ourselves and the Typhoons to train our pilots and to integrate them with our NATO partners to give them the possibility to have a great training and be ready of course for future operations with our NATO partners.”
Over the NTTR, aircraft were observed in carefully choreographed missions. The F-2000s primarily took on the battle for air supremacy from the advantage of high altitude, working with F-16s on Combat Air Patrol. F-16CMs moved in from medium altitudes to perform SEAD, followed by F-15Es from medium altitudes along with additional F-15Es and F-2000s from low altitudes attacking designated targets.
B-1B bombers appeared from medium or low altitude to attack their targets, while B-52Hs made target runs, turned, loitered and then attacked again and again.
Red Air threats had multiple lives and regenerated when killed ensuring a constant adversarial threat. Attack, counter attack, identify targets and vector assets to kill or be killed. The intensity of the battle was noted in pilots and C2 voices as radio chatter flooded the airwaves during the 75 – 90 minute battle.
Captain R. Kearns, B-1B pilot from the 34th Bomb Squadron noted that while the missions were not typically different from what they normally train (medium and low altitude attack), it was unique to have so many diverse aircraft in the operating area and to look out on the B-1Bs wing and note the F-16 and F-15 escorts.
The exercise itself is only the beginning of learning. After the mission, a lengthy debriefing takes place. The briefing is aided by the enhanced capability on the Nellis Range and by the recently launched E-3G that features the ability to clearly reconstruct the C2 activity. Major C. Bulla of 414th Combat Training Squadron summarized succinctly, “better data, better learning, that’s why we are here.”
Col. Bernard defined the exercise well, “it is in fact putting together the team you have and use each strength to make 1+1 = 3.” Mathematically impossible, but attainable within the context of synergistic teamwork.
^^O italijanima
Italian Eurofighters Engage with Enemy in Skies over NevadaItalian Eurofighters Engage with Enemy in Skies over Nevada
Citat:NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE (Nevada) Imagine dogfights over the desert, involving swarms of fighters: small AT-38s, certainly not sophisticated, but deployed in large numbers to put defences to the test, F-15s in the role of Russian Flankers, the toughest to engage, as well as F-16s acting as MiG-29S, using the tactics and light blue livery of Russian planes. Not to mention gigantic B-1s and B-52s, sometimes playing the part of the Kremlin’s strategic bombers or deployed as part of NATO forces, six Turkish F-16s and two refuelling aircraft: in all, over 80 US aircraft, deployed alongside Italian Eurofighters.
For nearly two weeks, a combat unit consisting of eight of our fighters, 24 pilots – including women – and 131 technicians, took part in Red Flag, one of the most important and gruelling military exercises in the world, held in the vast training range to the north of Las Vegas. On the ground, the immense area was filled with targets – copies of the missile batteries and vehicles used by the former Warsaw Pact –, while the skies swarmed with “aggressor” aircraft playing the part of Russians, doing their best to wreak havoc. In short, this was an ideal setting for the Italian contingent to develop, hone, and test its skills 9,000 kilometres from home.
“The Italian mission had six key goals,” said its commanding officer, Colonel Marco Bertoli. “One: acting in a complex theatre and in situations where severe demands are made on man and machine. Two: providing advanced training for pilots who are young but already “combat ready”. Three: training intelligence and support staff in coordination with other forces. Four: evaluating military hardware with a view to future operations. Five: integrating with allied air forces. Six: logistical aspects.” The exercise was a further test for military personnel who already had extensive experience. Italian Typhoons acted as sentries in the Baltic, protecting Lithuanian airspace on behalf of the Alliance and intercepting intruders from the East. In addition to taking part in patrols to defend the northern borders, Italian aircraft were engaged in attacks on “adversaries” in the stunning natural setting of the Nevada desert, the perfect training ground for what may await the West, whether in the Libyan crisis or in future developments of the East-West standoff, which for some time now has ceased to be merely political.
The fighters were deployed in 180 missions, day and night. The sorties lasted between 90 minutes and three hours, and included missions where in-flight refueling was sometimes necessary. Three of the aircraft also carried (inert) laser-guided bombs, in a new use of the Eurofighter already tested by the British and Saudis. On return to base, the missions were analysed and discussed with the other participants. Everything took place at a hectic pace, amidst continuous take-offs and landings, with Nellis resembling the military counterpart of nearby Las Vegas, the city that never sleeps. The only break, for those who had one, was a hastily consumed meal of pasta and Nutella sandwiches, eaten on the runway in the shadow of imposing airborne arsenals, such as the controversial F-35 and the timeless A 10. Not far from our aircraft was a group of A-4s, manned by personnel wearing bright red T-shirts. These were owned by Draken, a company that offers a unique service, in what is the new frontier of outsourced military training. They in fact provided 50 jets to act as adversaries in the manoeuvres: in addition to old Skyhawks, they purchased Polish MiG-21s, Aermacchi 339s and Czech Albatrosses, modernised them and then sent them into battle.
http://www.corriere.it/english/16_marzo_18/italian.....resh_ce-cp
Citat:Approximately 1,200 U.S. personnel will participate in Max Thunder 16, in support of F-16 Fighting Falcons from Seventh Air Force; F-18 Hornets from the 12th Marine Aircraft Group; and EA-18G Growlers from the Navy’s Electronic Attack Squadron 138.
Approximately 640 South Korean personnel will also participate in the exercise in support of various aircraft.
