Red Flag wraps up Published Nov. 13, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Ryan Whitney Nellis AFB Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- More than 1,500 people, 21 units, and 107 aircraft from around the world participated in Red Flag 08-1, a two-week-long large-scale flying exercise conducted by the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, that ended Nov. 2 here. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving U.S. and allied forces, and is designed to provide pilots their first 10 missions. Past conflicts have proven that after pilot's complete their first 10 missions, their chance of survival increases dramatically, said Lt. Col. Mike Caudle, 414th Combat Training Squadron director of operations. Allied air forces taking part were from Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. "We had great participation from our allied partners. In today's military, it is likely you will fight in a coalition--so integration among coalition partners is essential to mission success," said Capt. Rossius Dragon, Red Flag 08-1 team chief. Units from U.S. services also participated, to include Army CH-47 Chinooks and multiple Air Force squadrons with all types of aircraft, from the unmanned remote controlled MQ-1 Predator and the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft to the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Strike Eagle. Conducted over the Nevada Test and Training Range, consisting of 14,000 square miles of airspace located north of Las Vegas, Red Flag is one of a series of advanced training programs administered by the U. S. Air Force Warfare Center. The next Red Flag exercises are scheduled for January and February. The first is scheduled for Jan. 14-25, and the second for Feb. 4-15, with a large number of F-22 Raptors from Langley participating in both exercises.
