Page 7 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis AFB - Creech AFB Edition, February 18, 2022

6 Desert lightning news s. nevaDa Photo Feature February 18, 2022 7
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Australian, American integration promotes interoperability, communication during

Red FlAg-Nellis 22-1 LEFT: Both Australian and U.S. forces wait for a tour of the Royal Australian Air Force E-7A

Wedgetail during Red Flag-Nellis 22-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 3, 2022. The 414th
Combat Training Squadron conducts Red Flag exercises to provide aircrews the experience
of multiple, intensive air combat sorties in the safety of a training environment.

red flag, from Page 1 _____________

“The benefit of an exercise like Red Flag for
the ground crew is to integrate with our coali-
tion forces and understand how they operate
for the joint force,” said CPL Corey Seydler, an
avionics technician. “It’s providing an amazing
product for our air crew because the training
benefit they get from an exercise like Red Flag
is astronomical and us being able to provide
support for that is pretty impressive.”
Red Flag also allows each force to com-
municate and plan together, which is key in
understanding the operation and integration of
everyone involved. According to the National
Defense Strategy, America’s force posture, alli-
ance and partnership architecture, and Depart- A U.S. Air Force Airman asks about the different features of an Australian E-7A
ment modernization provide the capabilities Wedgetail to a Royal Australian Air Force Airman during Red Flag-Nellis 22-1
and agility required to prevail in conflict and at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 3, 2022. Participants conduct a variety of
preserve peace through strength. scenarios, including defensive counter air, offensive counter air suppression
“Being able to sit down and chat with differ- of enemy air defenses and offensive counter air-air interdiction.
ent assets, learn of what they can do, how we
can integrate better and learn from our mis-
takes from previous trips definitely provides a
better product at the end of the exercise,” said
Whicker.
The integration of the RAAF E-7A is an op-
portunity to integrate friendly forces but also a
chance to learn more of how the E-7A comple-
ments the E-3 Sentry, the U.S. Air Force’s pri-
mary airborne command and control platform.
“The E-7A Wedgetail is very similar to the
United States E-3 Sentry,” said Seydler. “How-
ever, it’s a far newer aircraft with more modern
technology, which means we don’t need as
many people to do the same kind of effort.”
Compared to the E-3’s rotating radar dome,
the E-7’s technology uses a Multi-role Elec-
tronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar for
detection and awareness of friendly, neutral
and hostile activity.
“It has no moving parts; it’s all electroni-
cally steered,” said Whicker. “Because we’re
not waiting for a complete scan cycle of a full
rotation, we’re able to electronically steer the
beam, which means we’re able to provide faster
refresh rates for radar detections on a target.”
All in all, the Wedgetail and its crew produce
yet another aspect that makes Red Flag such a
diverse and effective combat training exercise.
“Being able to come over here and integrate
our platform into such a large warfighting
exercise really can help us practice our battle
rhythm in case we end up in a larger conflict A Royal Australian Air Force Airman points out features of an Australian E-7A
around the world,” said Seydler. “Being able Wedgetail to a U.S. Air Force Airman during Red Flag-Nellis 22-1 at Nellis Air
to integrate our warfighting abilities with our Air Force photographs by Airman 1st Class Josey Blades Force Base, Nev., Feb. 3, 2022. The 414th Combat Training Squadron conducts
allies is a key ingredient for contributing to Both Australian and U.S. forces tour the Australian E-7A Wedgetail during Red Flag-Nellis 22-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 3, 2022. Participants conduct a variety of scenarios, including defensive counter air, offensive counter air suppression Red Flag exercises to provide aircrews the experience of multiple, intensive
the joint force. of enemy air defenses and offensive counter air-air interdiction. air combat sorties in the safety of a training environment.