Page 6 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, August 6, 2021

6 Desert lightning news s. nevaDa Photo Feature august 6, 2021 7
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Red Flag 21-3 dRaws to a close LEFT: An HC-130J Combat King II assigned to the 130th Rescue Squadron, Moffett Federal
Airfield, Calif., takes-off for a Red Flag 21-3 mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 22,
2021. The mission of the HC-130J is to rapidly deploy to execute combatant commander
directed recovery operations to austere airfields for expeditionary all weather personnel
recovery operations.

Red Flag 21-3 ran July 19-Aug. 6, 2021, at Nellis Air and hosted north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test ence advanced, relevant, and realistic combat-like
Force Base, Nev. and Training Range — the U.S. Air Force’s premier situations in a controlled environment to increase
Nearly 100 aircraft departed Nellis twice a day, military training area with more than 12,000 square their ability to complete missions and safely return
remaining in the air for up to five hours during the miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. With home. It also prepares maintenance personnel, ground
exercises. Night launches also took place, allowing for 1,900 possible targets, realistic threat systems and an controllers, space and cyber operators to support those
air crews to train for nighttime combat operations. opposing enemy force that cannot be replicated any- missions within the same tactical environment.
Red Flag 21-3 welcomed around 2,200 U.S par- where else in the world, Nellis and the NTTR are the The 414th Combat Training Squadron is responsible
ticipants from 17 states from the Air Force, Navy, home of a “peacetime battlefield,” providing combat for executing Red Flag and this exercise is just one of Air Force photograph by William R. Lewis
Marines, Space Force, Air National Guard and Air air forces with the ability to train to fight together, a series of advanced training programs administered
Force Reserve. survive together and win together. at Nellis and on the NTTR by organizations assigned
The exercise is organized at Nellis Air Force Base Red Flag gives aircrew an opportunity to experi- to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center.

Air Force photograph by William R. Lewis
An F-22 Raptor assigned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., takes-off for a Red Flag 21-3 mission
at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, July 23, 2021. The F-22 Raptor performs both air-to-air and
air-to-ground missions.

Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus
U.S. Navy Petty Officer Third Class Austin
Battles and Petty Officer Third Class Nickolas
Kipp, aviation technicians assigned to the
LEF T: An F-16 C Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138
Falcon fighter jet ‘RAMPAGE!’ at Naval Air Station Whidbey
assigned to the Island, Wash., perform preflight checks on an
6 4th Aggressor EA-18G Growler before launching the aircraft
Squadron, takes-off during Red Flag 21-3 at Nellis Air Force Base,
for a Red Flag 21-3 Nev., July 22, 2021. VAQ-138 is a U.S. Navy
mission, at Nellis tactical jet aircraft squadron specializing
Air Force Base, in kinetic and non-kinetic Suppression of
Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Bailee A. Darbasie
Nev., July 22, 2021. Enemy Air Defenses. This Red Flag will test Staff Sgt. Samuel Ness, 66th Rescue Squadron special missions aviator, prepares to take off in
Air Force photograph by William R. Lewis Aggressor pilots participants’ capability to synchronize recent an HH-60G Pave Hawk during Red Flag 21-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 23, 2021. The
An F-16CM fighter jet, assigned to the 20th Fighter Wing, are highly skilled in C2 enhancements in development between 66th RQS provides rapidly deployable, expeditionary, and agile combat search and rescue
Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., takes-off for a Red Flag 21-3 mission U.S. and adversary fifth generation fighters and joint partners. forces in response to contingency operations worldwide.
at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 22, 2021. Red Flag takes tactics. They provide
place over the Nevada Test and Training Range and provides realistic training to
the warfighter a flexible, realistic and multi-dimensional U.S. and allied forces
battle space to conduct advanced training of U.S. military Air Force photograph by William R. Lewis during exercises.
services and coalition forces.

Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus
Lt Col. Jondavid “Dok” Hertzel, an F-35 Lightning II pilot assigned
to the 421st Fighter Squadron from Hill Air Force Base, Utah,
Air Force photograph by William R. Lewis performs pre-flight checks before take-off during Red Flag 21-3 at Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus
Air Force photograph by William R. Lewis A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 27, 2021. The F-35 is the most lethal, Two F-35 Lightning IIs assigned to the 421st Fighter Squadron from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, sit on the flight line during a thunderstorm at
An F-35A Lightning II fighter jet, assigned to the 134th Fighter takes-off for a Red Flag 21-3 mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 22, 2021. Red Flag survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, giving pilots Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 25, 2021. The 421st Fighter Squadron is participating in Red Flag-Nellis 21-3, an air-to-air combat exercise
Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, takes-off for a Red Flag 21-3 exercises test the capabilities of joint aircrews in a realistic environment over the Nevada Test an advantage against any adversary and enabling them to execute near Las Vegas that tests participants’ capabilities to synchronize recent command and control enhancements in development between
mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 23, 2021. and training Range. their mission and come home safe. fifth generation fighters and joint partners.