Page 10 - Aerotech News and Review, March 19, 2021

Test like we fight:

‘Orange Flag’, ‘Black Flag’ collaborate to accelerate change

by 2nd Lt. Christine Saunders and 1st Lt. Savanah Bray “Orange Flag started three years ago with the intent to assess was signed in December 2020 to formalize the test event. Black
Edwards AFB, Calif. integration of warfighting systems in a dense threat, operationally Flag focuses on testing and validating Tactics Improvement Pro-
representative environment,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher Azzano, posals, or TIPs presented each year at the annual Weapons and
Orange Flag, the large force test event carried out three times AFTC commander. “It has been tremendously successful.” Tactics Conference. TIPs tested at Black Flag 21-1 included HH-
annually by Air Force Test Center’s 412th Test Wing, combined A major Orange Flag success is the testing of F-35 and F-22 60 Air-to-Air survivability, F-35 Emissions Control tactics de-
with the 53rd Wing’s Black Flag, bringing a first for the test com- integration with land-based long-range fires, naval fires, and velopment, and continue tactics development and evaluation for
munity March 2-4, 2021. space-based sensors without humans-in-the-loop. Other successes the F-16 APG-83 AESA Radar, among others.
The 412th Test Wing is based at Edwards Air Force Base, Ca- include tests of multi-national F-35 and command and control “As a venue for innovation through integration, Black Flag is
lif., and the 53rd Wing is based at Eglin AFB, Fla. ultimately a deep-end testing arena to create and discover capabili-
Both central to achieving Joint All-Domain Command and Con- integration, strategic intelligence surveillance, and reconnaissance ties utilizing existing and emerging materiel,” said Lt. Col. Mike
trol, the two test capabilities combined their mission planning integration through all domains. Benitez, 53rd Wing director of staff and Black Flag lead project
processes and streamlined test objective synthesis. Test execu- This was the first official Black Flag since COMACC Plan 21 officer. “Black Flag’s largest benefit is that it’s a tactical initiative
tion took place during two separate Orange Flag and one Black with strategic impact.”
Flag events. Aligning Orange and Black Flag allows for improved integra-
“The benefits of a combined Orange Flag and Black Flag event tion and the combining of resources and participants to provide
include the test of materiel, technical, and tactical solutions in an better test data and a more robust operationally-relevant environ-
integrated fashion, lower administrative overhead, and improved ment.
understanding of how to use tactics to multiply technical capabili- Orange Flag, Emerald Flag and Black Flag work in concert as
ties,” said Maj. Brandon Burfeind, Orange Flag director. the “test triad” to provide robust test environments geared toward
The rationale of combining the planning process is simple: Or- the advancement of Joint All-Domain Operations and the National
ange Flag focuses on technical integration and innovation across Defense Strategy. These Test Flags are the premier large force
a breadth of Technology Readiness Levels, Black Flag focuses on test events which support testing of JADC2 and the Advanced
the tactical integration of more mature technologies. Battle Management System and to validate new tactics and tech-
“By combining resources and some objectives with the Orange nologies for warfighting forces.
Flag enterprise, we were able to achieve desired test objectives Orange Flag welcomes event participants from every service,
at minimal cost to the government,” said Capt. Clifford Peterson, all domains, any organization, and a full range of technical readi-
mission commander of Black Flag 21-1. “Due to the combined ness. Orange Flag is range agnostic and will tailor range use to
nature of the events, we were able to get both highly data driven participant test objectives. Meanwhile, Black Flag, developed as a
developmental test objectives and more operationally-focused Lockheed Martin photograph by Kyle Larson venue for tactics development and for joint and coalition fighters,
and accurate objectives completed for similar tests.” An F-22 Raptor from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at bombers, RPAs, space and more, remains invite-only.
This iteration of Orange Flag focused on two primary objec- Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., refuels during Orange Flag, 2 March. The next iteration of Orange Flag, planned for June 2021, an-
tives: kill web integration and advanced survivability. Kill web Orange Flag, the large force test event carried out three times ticipates testing GatewayONE, Skyborg, and several emerging
integration included Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and annually by Air Force Test Center’s 412th Test Wing at Edwards JADC2 capabilities as well as welcoming back prior participants.
AFB, Calif., combined with the 53rd Wing’s Black Flag, bringing
Space Force sensors and tactical networks, as well as legacy and a first for the test community March 2-4, 2021. The efforts of Orange Flag, Black Flag, and the 53rd Wing will
emerging JADC2 nodes. be on display this May at Northern Edge 2021.

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