|
The Alaskan summer sky dims only slightly as Airmen and aircraft
from a myriad of countries pack up their gear, preparing to depart
for their respective homes.
Approximately 1,500 personnel
and more than 100 aircraft from the United States, Japan, Republic
of Korea, Denmark, Thailand and other nations participated in more
than 300 flight hours of challenging training during RED FLAG-Alaska
17-2.
|
June 7, 2017 - Pilots listen to a mass briefing during the large
force exercise Red Flag-Alaska 17-2 at Eielson Air Force Base,
Alaska. U.S. service members from all branches and several air
forces from other countries including the Royal Thai, Republic of
Korea, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Finland, Denmark and Israel's
air forces. They worked together to improve their tactical fluidity
as they work cohesively, executing the objective. Exercises of this
nature are vital to maintaining peace and stability in the
Indo-Asia-Pacific theatre and signifies our continued commitment to
the Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Sadie
Colbert)
|
“We flew a lot,” said Capt. Brian Farmer, Delta-Flight Commander
of the 25th Fighter Squadron and A-10 pilot. “Just being able to
integrate with a large force exercise and seeing the integration
execution between escorting, suppression of enemy air-defenses,
airlifts and everything else coming together was a great
experience.”
RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field
training exercise for U.S. and international forces flying under
simulated air combat conditions. It is conducted on the Joint
Pacific Alaska Range Complex with air operations flown primarily out
of Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,
Alaska.
Maj. Ito Kei, a pilot in the Japanese Air
Self-Defense Force, found value in the expansive training range.
“The training areas in Alaska are really huge, so we can fly with
fewer restrictions compared to Japan. And in the areas, there are
assets such as ground to air missiles and bombing ranges. So under
this environment, we can train ourselves more practically.”
|
June 12, 2017 - Republic of Korea Air Force, U.S. Air Force and
Japan Air Self-Defense Force members begin mission planning during
RED FLAG-Alaska (RF-A) 17-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. RF-A
is a two-week, multilateral large force exercise with many other
nations, including Denmark, Finland and Israel, who participate to
better overall tactics as one cohesive unit. (U.S. Air Force photo
by Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert)
|
“The size and scope of the airspace, combined with fewer
restrictions, allows pilots to realistically employ their aircraft
and execute tactics as they would in war,” said Maj. Zach Fennell, a
353rd Combat Training Squadron range division assistant director of
operations. “These things are what separates RED FLAG-Alaska from
other exercises.”
The expansive training range allows for a
full-scale integration of all multinational forces in attendance.
|
June 16, 2017 -
U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Ryan Ley, assigned to the
14th Fighter Squadron prepares for a flight on an F-16 during RED
FLAG-Alaska 17-2 June 16, 2017, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
RED FLAG-Alaska provides an optimal training environment in the
Indo-Asia Pacific Region and focuses on improving ground, space, and
cyberspace combat readiness and interoperability for U.S. and
international forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class
Haley D. Phillips)
|
“One of the big lessons we get out of Red Flag is learning how to
integrate with other assets, so when you go into a combat scenario
it’s not the first time you’ve worked with that country, service or
airframe,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Randey Kinsey, a 353rd CTS range
division assistant director of operations. “It gives you a better
idea of what the capabilities of their personnel and their
equipment.”
Capt. Jun-Mo Yang, a KF-16 pilot in the Republic
of Korea Air Force, echoed this sentiment. “The exercise is
important in the sense that we get to experience beforehand
scenarios that are similar to ones that we will face during wartime.
Additionally, the ROKAF and USAF pilots build friendships and trust
that will be most critical in executing future combined operations.”
|
June 19, 2017 - U.S. Air Force F-16 fighting falcon assigned to
the 36th Fighter Squadron takes off during RED FLAG-Alaska 17-2 at
Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. RED FLAG-Alaska provides an optimal
training environment in the Indo-Asia Pacific Region and focuses on
improving ground, space, and cyberspace combat readiness and
interoperability for U.S. and international forces. (US Air Force
photo by Airman 1st Class Sean Carnes)
|
The exercise, while beneficial for aircrew members of many
nations, also had benefits for the flightline personnel of all the
participating countries. Senior Airman Eric Florez-Meza, an F-16
avionics technician for the 36th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, said
he had the experience of his professional lifetime.
“Not only
did I learn new things, but I also got to participate in debriefings
and directly interact with the pilots,” Florez-Meza said. “It gave
me better insight in what they do. It was an amazing experience.”
|
June 20, 2017- U.S. Air Force Capt. Sean Knowles, A-10 Thunderbolt
II pilot assigned to the 25th Fighter Squadron, is hoisted into a
U.S. Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk for a downed pilot scenario during
RED FLAG-Alaska 17-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. RED
FLAG-Alaska provides an optimal training environment in the
Indo-Asia Pacific Region and focuses on improving ground, space, and
cyberspace combat readiness and interoperability for U.S. and
international forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class
Haley D. Phillips)
|
Overall, the participants enjoyed RF-A, and they thanked
their Alaskan hosts for the opportunity.
“Setting
everything up and putting everything together with the
amount of units Eielson and Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson
accommodated for, I would say both bases did a really good
job with this exercise,” Farmer concluded.
By U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
Comment on this article |
Our Valiant Troops |
