PAF at Red Flag Exercise
August 4, 2010
By S. M. Hali
Earlier this month, the Pakistan Air Force made its maiden appearance at the United States Air Force (USAF) Red Flag Exercise 10-4, a series of realistic aerial war games. The Red Flag exercises, which commenced from July 19 to July 31, have been held periodically at the Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) since 1975. Spread over 15,000 square miles of airspace north of Las Vegas, the exercise is conducted over the Nevada Test and Training Range. The purpose of these drills is to give pilots from the US, NATO and other allied countries an opportunity to practise and refine their skills, in a real world combat simulation.
The participants are divided into two teams, the Blue Team and the rather more aggressive Red Team. The Red Team is composed of Nellis AFB-based pilots, especially trained for this purpose, while the Blue Team comprises various guest players. The objective of the Blue Team is to destroy certain targets on the ranges, while the Red Team attempts to defend them. Both teams usually meet in the airspace, where they engage in realistic dogfights. Vantage points afford exercise umpires, observers and visitors an excellent view of the proceedings.
The major US participants in the Red Flag 10-4 included B-52 Stratofortresses, F-22 Raptors and F-15E Strike Eagles. Other aircrafts in the exercise included are EA-6B Prowlers, F-15S, F-16s and F-5Es.
The USAF hosted approximately 100 PAF pilots and support personnel this time round, and in the grand scheme of things, PAF and USAF cooperation yielded big dividends for both. As fighter tactics are constantly evolving, the PAF pilots were able to display their prowess, besides also being able to observe and learn from the air forces of other nations.
The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) operated by Nellis AFB includes 1,900 possible targets, realistic threat systems and an opposing enemy force that cannot be replicated anywhere in the world. During Red Flag 10-4, more than 500 personnel were launching over 70 aircrafts twice a day, and KC-135s were pumping around 150,000 gallons of fuel daily. The pilots of PAFs fleet of F-16Bs looked eager to push their aircraft to the limit, earning plaudits from the opposition.
All in all, Red Flag provided the participating PAF contingent challenging scenarios, and through teamwork and the integration of all the assets deployed it secured success. No single aircraft can handle the tactical challenges that Red Flag presents and this unique platform provides the opportunity to fly with coalition partners and prepare for future high intensity conflicts. Red Flag also provides inimitable training not just for pilots, but also for the whole crew as it replicates a full spectrum of threats. The Red Flag exercise covers most scenarios, strategies and tactics that could occur and exposes the crew into a multinational environment providing them with a great platform for mutual learning.
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