To
Copied to Clipboard
By Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert, 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs / Published January 28, 2021
An F-35 Lightning II lands at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. During Red Flag 21-1, the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flew B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber training mission with multiple aircraft in order to further enhance their experience for future sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
Team Whiteman Airmen prepare a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber for a training mission during Red Flag 21-1, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. Team Whiteman brought approximately a hundred Airmen to participate in the large force exercise and to be the lead Wing. As the lead Wing, RF 21-1 enables Team Whiteman to maintain a high state of readiness and proficiency, while validating their always-ready global strike capability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
A B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber takes off during Red Flag 21-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. The B-2’s stealth characteristics give it the ability to penetrate an enemy’s most sophisticated defense and threaten its most-valued, heavily defended targets while avoiding adversary detecting, tracking and engagement. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jimmy Womac, left, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew chief, and Senior Airman Christopher McLane, right, 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels technician, run a fuel hose to a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber during Red Flag 21-1, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. In order to ensure Whiteman always upholds its global deterrence responsibility, Red Flag challenged Airmen operate in a limited environment to better enhance their readiness and ensure mission success. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Haylee Lund, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew chief, assist securing a fuel line to a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber during Red Flag 21-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. This large force exercise demonstrates the credibility of U.S. and partner forces to address a global security environment and ensure Team Whiteman is able to honor its security commitments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Haylee Lund, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew chief, watches the fuel gauge for a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber during Red Flag 21-1, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. Along with aircrew, Team Whiteman brought approximately a hundred Airmen to participate in the large force exercise and to be the lead wing. As the lead Wing, RF 21-1 enables Team Whiteman to maintain a high state of readiness and proficiency, while validating their always-ready global strike capability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Shaquille Roberts, 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels technician, fuels a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber during Red Flag 21-1, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. Along with Whiteman, more than 20 units participated in the large force exercise, ensuring the readiness of hundreds of Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert)
Each year, many Wings and multitudes of aircraft flock to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, for Red Flag, allowing various airframes to integrate with each other and further evolve their capabilities for future sorties.
“Exercises like Red Flag are critical because it ensures our youngest crew members are ready to go into any fight,” said Col. Jeffrey Schreiner, Air Expeditionary Wing and 509th Bomb Wing commander. “When Whiteman’s B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber flies on a day-to-day basis, we’re practicing our bomb runs, timing and command and control. However, in order to really know how well those components work together with other airframes in a fight, we have to bring people together and put the capabilities in the same space at the same time.”
During RF 21-1, B-2 pilots spent more than 100 hours training with fifth-generation aircraft to gain vital flying experience similar to executing sorties in a realistic contested and operationally limited environment.
“Integrating the fifth-generation aircraft abundantly multiplies our total experience gained during these training sorties,” said Lt. Col. Chris Conant, the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander. “With fifth-gen airframes playing both friend and foe, we have different sets of capabilities to work with and against, and it makes each sortie a unique situation to learn from.”
The F-22 brings a combination of stealth, speed, agility, lethal long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry deployment, the F-35 brings unprecedented situational awareness, information sharing and connectivity to the coalition during sorties, and the B-2 brings its’ low-observable, precision-strike capabilities. Red Flag 21-1 provides an opportunity to test those capabilities together in contingent-like scenarios.
“Red Flag has evolved a lot over the years, and it’s transformed into a complete joint exercise now that looks at all domains and how those different warfighters come together to execute a mission.” said Schreiner. “It shows our youngest aviators what near-peer adversaries look like.”
Schreiner added the true value in RF 21-1 is it’s a training environment and that he is really excited to see the opportunities for Team Whiteman to unify, learn and be prepared for any adversary they could be up against.
“The hope is that in 3 weeks, our team can walk out the door in feel confident that they can go into an expeditionary environment and fight together in order to get the mission accomplished,” Schreiner concluded.
Nellis Voting Assistance Office:Bldg. 312: Nellis Airman and Family Readiness Center 702 652-3327
Hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon, Tues, Wed and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday
AFPC Voting Assistance Information:
Federal Assistance Program
HEALTH
FITNESS