Page 54 - AAPT March 2019

Feature Story
Exercise Red Flag a success

Exercise Red Flag 19 has wrapped to attack NTTR targets such as mock Red Flag to participate in a series of high-
up with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter airfields, vehicle convoys, tanks, parked intensity, complex and peer adversary
demonstrating the lethal air-to-air aircraft, bunkered defensive positions aimed air combat missions, testing man
capabilities of the fifth-gen platform in and missile sites. Targets are defended and machine to the limits, particularly
a series of near-peer air combat drills. by a variety of simulated “Red” force in “contested or denied environments”,
The Exercise Red Flag series is ground and air threats to give participant which employ active electronic attack,
hosted by the United States Air Force aircrews the most realistic combat communications jamming and active
414th Combat Training Squadron and training possible. GPS denial, severely hindering the
is held several times a year with a Exercise Red Flag was established modern warfighter.
number of domestic and international in 1975 as the brainchild of Colonel During this phase of the testing,
participants. Australia has been a Richard “Moody” Suter and one of the the F-35 positioned itself as one of the
regular participant in the Red Flag initiatives directed by General Robert J. key “combat battlefield” coordinators,
exercise since 1980. Dixon, then commander of Tactical Air responsible for collecting, managing,
Aircraft and personnel deploy to Command, to better prepare our forces analysing and distributing intelligence
Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada for Red for combat. data to the Blue Force all while
Flag under the Air Expeditionary Force Lessons from Vietnam showed that prosecuting attacks against threats,
concept and make up the exercise’s if a pilot survived his first 10 combat returning to an advanced information
“Blue” forces. By working together, missions, his probability of survival collector and distributor for older fourth
these Blue forces are able to utilise their for remaining missions increased and 4.5 generation fighter aircraft via
diverse capabilities to execute specific substantially. Red Flag was designed Link-16.
missions, such as air interdiction, to expose each “Blue 4” pilot to his first Lieutenant Colonel Yosef Morris,
combat search and rescue, close 10 “combat missions” at Nellis AFB, US Air Force 4th Fighter Squadron
air support, dynamic targeting and allowing him to be more confident and commander, said, “Those situations
defensive counter air. effective in actual combat. highlight the fifth-generation capabilities
These forces use various tactics 2019 saw the F-35 return to Exercise of the F-35. We’re still able to operate

WE ARE SEEKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR

DEVELOPMENT AT THE PORT PIRIE AERODROME

The city of Port Pirie located 220 kilometres north Opportunities for development include:
of Adelaide on the Upper Spencer Gulf within easy • Residential Airpark • Private hangar development
distance to the Flinders Ranges. The Aerodrome is • Aircraft Maintenance Facilities
located 5 kilometres south of the CBD of Port Pirie. The • Commercial and industrial development
airport consists of a 3 runway layout making it ideal for
pilot training and also servicing aero-medical, charter Go to www.pirie.sa.gov.au for further details.
and private flying. Av Gas and Jet A1 fuel available. Expressions of Interest close on 31 March 2019.

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