Green Flag gains new dimensions Published Oct. 1, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Victoria Sneed 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The final rendition of Green Flag for fiscal year 2014, running from Sept. 12 to 26, brought in many firsts. Joint Forces in this exercise were working toward a combined goal of protecting a simulated U.S. ship off the coast of Southern California, and protecting ground forces who recovered a simulated downed aircraft at Fort Irwin, California. Air Force components supported both the naval and land elements by backing ground commanders' maneuvers and engaging enemy surface-to-air and air-to-air threats. "Most of what we do is joint close air support exercises," said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jordan Hedges, Marine Attack Squadron 223, AV-8V Harrier pilot training officer from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. "They are normally counter-insurgency or low threat. This exercise is considered more high-threat and conventional warfare with the limited surface-to-air capabilities." While their primary mission is to support boots on the ground, watching the skies for other aircraft is another skill both Marine and Air Force aviators needed to hone. "This the first time any of us have done CAS with an air adversary as well as ground exercises." said Hedges. "It changes the game plan up a bit." The added air threat of simulated MIG-29 Fulcrum and SU-27 Flanker aircraft allowed forces to practice rarely-used tactics. Having air adversaries not only allows the pilots to see the fight in the air, but also allows the ground units to train against someone attacking them from the air, said U.S. Air Force Capt. Jon Flickinger, 64th Aggressor Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon training chief. The addition of opposition forces is also a first for Green Flag since its restructuring in 2006 to include air adversaries or opposed CAS. "We have been training like we fight, with an unopposed air picture," said Flickinger. "Adding air opposition prepares ground forces for a higher-caliber adversary that could attack them as they move. It also allows them to train with surface-to-air missiles." Not only did ground forces have to worry about simulated attacks, but pilots had to watch their backs as well. "It creates a higher workload on the pilots," said Flickinger. "Not only do they have to worry about supporting the joint terminal attack controllers, they also have to deal with bad guys in the air interrupting what they are doing." This allows all forces involved to practice seldom-used skills and the ability to think on the fly. "The level of difficultly is steadily increasing due to air threat introduced in this exercise," said Flickinger. Another new addition to the exercise is the introduction of the operational level of warfare to the Green Flag scenario, which has traditionally been tactical in nature. "Airmen from the 505th Training Squadron and 505th Communications Squadron, from Hurlburt Field, Florida, provided operational level command and control throughout the exercise from the Combined Air Operations Center - Nellis," said Lt. Col. Aaron Hatch, 505th Test Squadron director of operations. "These C2 experts integrated and coordinated with joint tactical players during CAS, personnel recovery, air tasking order production and air-to-air events. Their focus was prioritizing air component support to sister services' scheme of maneuver and deconflicting joint engagements to avoid friendly fire." E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma who provided the tactical air picture to the CAOC-N, who battle managed F-15 Strike Eagles from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho and the Marine Harriers during CAS and air-to-air missions. They worked closely with the US Navy E-2 Hawkeye during air operations that supported maritime surface warfare off the coast of Southern California. The addition of both the 64th AGRS as air adversaries and operational C2 by CAOC-N are projected to continue to participate in future Green Flag exercises.
