MARCH 7, 2022 – Red Flag-Nellis 22-2 is underway. Coalition partners have landed and the around-the-clock training has begun. This iteration will focus on tactical integration of cutting edge airpower. These efforts will reinforce the exercise’s root purpose to provide junior combat air force aviators and partners a next-to-real training environment.
“We must have a deep understanding of our competitor’s mindset and anticipate their future moves,” said Col. Jared “Jabba” Hutchinson, 414th Combat Training Squadron commander. “Red Flag allows us and our allies to perform in scenarios to prepare us should we ever be called on to engage a peer level adversary in combat.
They will be able to lean on the experience they have built in this exercise and avoid making the mistakes during real-world situations.”
As the lead wing of RF-22-2, the 366th Fighter Wing from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, will organize more than 55 aircraft that will go up against the 57th Operations Group’s dedicated multi-domain aggressor force.
Assets such as the B-1B Bomber, E-3 Sentry, E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, EA-18G Growler, Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA Advanced Fighter Aircraft, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, HC-130J Combat King II, KC-135 Stratotanker, HH-60 Pave Hawk and MQ-9 Reapers will participate in complex mission scenarios against aggressor forces.
Participants, to include around 14 units with approximately 1,750 personnel from the USAF, Marine Corps, Navy and Air National Guard, Royal Saudi Air Force and Republic of Singapore Air Force, will have a primary focus on combat missions, mission commander upgrades and flag-unique experiences that contribute most to readiness and partnering.
The coalition core function forces will gain a significant combat advantage by being exposed to realistic, representative, relevant and integrated tactical experiences. The U.S. and allied forces train to ensure smooth integration and shared understanding.
Red Flag 22-2 will concentrate on three primary themes to include defensive, offensive, and counter-air techniques. Each fighter type that participates in 22-2 will have to execute their best tactics and build dynamic agreements with others so that they can efficiently and safely achieve the overall objectives of the mission.
“We’ll continue to lead and learn in America’s premier air combat exercise,” said Hutchinson. “Take good notes, pass your feedback, and build a winning team with confidence under fire, integrated leadership, and warfighter culture. Fly safe with sound aircraft-specific tactics, fight as core function teams, and win with mutual support as integrated teams.”
Story by Staff Sgt. Miranda Loera
Nellis AFB Public Affairs