RED FLAG 17-1
Red Flag 17-1 was held at Nellis Air Force Base between 23rd January and 10th February 2017
As usual, the exercise was conducted on the vast instrumented Combat Ranges north of Nellis and was organised by the 414th Combat Training Squadron, Nellis AFB. It followed the usual pattern of two airforces, The Blue Airforce Package with AWACS, Tankers, Bombers, SEAD Fighters and defending Fighters pitched against the Aggressor Squadrons of the Red Airforce.
This was the first time F-35A aircraft have taken part in a Red Flag exercise.
BLUE AIRFORCE
ESCORT
77th FS, 20th FW, Gamblers, Shaw AFB, SC – flying F-16CM aircraft
149th FS, 192nd FW,Commanders, Langley AFB – flying F-22A Aircraft
159th FS, 125th FW,Boxin Gators, Jacksonville, FL – flying F-15C/D Aircraft
34th FS, 388th FW, Rude Rams, Hill AFB, UT – flying F-35A Aircraft
176th FS, 115th FW, Badger Air Militia,Truax Field, WI – flying F-16 Aircraft
6 Squadron,Canopeners, RAF Lossiemouth, UK – flying Typhoon FGR4 Aircraft
INTERDICTION
34th BS, 28th BW, Thunderbirds, Ellsworth AFB, SD – flying B-1B Aircraft
37th BS, 28th BW, Tigers, Ellsworth AFB, SD – flying B-1B Aircraft
SEAD
VAQ-132, Scorpions,NAS Whitbey Island, WA – flying EA-18G aircraft
VAQ-134,Garudas, NAS Whitbey Island, WA – flying EA-18G Aircraft
AIRLIFT
RAAF – flying C130J Aircraft
COMMAND and CONTROL
128th ACCS, Robins AFB, GA – flying E-8C aircraft
RAAF – flying E-7 aircraft
USAF and RAF – flying RC-135 aircraft
SEARCH and RESCUE
55th RQS, Davis Montham AFB, AZ – flying HH-60G helicopters
REFUELLING
22nd ARW, McConnel AFB – flying KC-135R/T aircraft
927thARW, Macdill AFB – flying KC-135R Aircraft
92nd ARW, Fairchild AFB , WA – flying KC-135R aircraft
RAF – flying Voyager KC3 aircraft
RED AIRFORCE
64th AGRS, 57th ATG, Nellis AFB flying F-16C . These are painted in colours representing the former Communist country airforces and fly in a similar way to those countries, in order to give participating pilots a realistic training environment similar to that which they might encounter in a real engagement.
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RED FORCE – 64 AGRS, 57 ATG
