Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review, Aug. 4 2017

Nellis AFB hosts Red Flag 17-3
by John Battey
special to Aerotech News
Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada hosted Red Flag 17-3 July 10-28. This was the first Red Flag to host two squadrons of F-35s.
The F-35s joined with F-22 Raptors, B-2 and B-1B bombers.
F-35As from the 58th Fighter Squadron based at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and F-35Bs from the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., flew side by side while participating in the exercise.
This Red Flag was U.S. military only and included the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Army.
The F-35 Lightning IIs flew mainly the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, interdiction and dynamic targeting missions with the F-22s performing the escort mission.
F-15 Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath in England and F-16s from Shaw AFB, S.C., along with EA-18G Growlers also flew in the exercise.
The only thing that could slow down the F-35 Lightning IIs from dominating the exercise were lightning strikes on the test range forcing some day missions to be cancelled. No F-35 sorties were missed due to mechanical issues or any other reason.
Col. Christian Kane, vice commander, Air Expeditionary Wing, said, “Red Flag 17-3 was the first opportunity to host two F-35 squadrons and included 91 aircraft, 52 units and 2593 personnel making it equal to the fourth largest Air Force in the world.”
Kane also stated that “Nellis AFB is a national asset that is unmatched and gives us a chance to put it all together in one place.”
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Photographs by John Battey