Exercise Red Flag

Exercise Red Flag
Red Flag – Nellis
StatusActive
GenreMilitary exercise
FrequencyThree times a year
VenueNellis Air Force Base, Nevada
Nevada Test and Training Range
Location(s)Las Vegas, Nevada
Coordinates36°14′10.32″N 115°02′03.32″W / 36.2362000°N 115.0342556°W / 36.2362000; -115.0342556
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated29 November 1975 (1975-11-29)
(48 years, 11 months ago)
FounderTactical Air Command
Organised by414th Combat Training Squadron
Websitewww.nellis.af.mil/About/High-End-Training/Red-Flag-Nellis/
F-16C aggressor aircraft during Red Flag 06-1

Exercise Red Flag (also Red Flag – Nellis)[1] is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise held several times a year by the United States Air Force (USAF). It aims to offer realistic air-combat training for military pilots and other flight crew members from the United States and allied countries.

Each year, three to six Red Flag exercises are held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, while up to four more, dubbed Red Flag – Alaska, are held at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

First held on 29 November 1975, Red Flag exercises bring together aircrews from the USAF, United States Navy (USN), United States Marine Corps (USMC), United States Army (USA) and numerous NATO and allied nations' air forces.

Red Flag exercises are conducted under the control of the United States Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis. They are run by the 414th Combat Training Squadron (414 CTS) of the 57th Wing (57 WG). They use "enemy" hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the adjacent Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).[2][3]

  1. ^ "Red Flag-Nellis". www.nellis.af.mil. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Factsheets : U.S. Air Force Warfare Center". af.mil. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Factsheets : 57th Wing". af.mil. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.