4 Aug 2021

53rd Wing executes Black Flag 21-2

The 53rd Wing conducted Black Flag 21-2, the largest Black Flag to date July 13-16, 2021. The three-day large force joint test event occurred included more than 30 Air Force and Navy aircraft. 

8 Mar 2021

Test like we fight: ‘Orange Flag’, ‘Black Flag’ collaborate to accelerate change

Orange Flag, the large force test event carried out three times annually by Air Force Test Center’s 412th Test Wing, combined with the 53rd Wing’s Black Flag, bringing a first for the test community March 2-4.

27 Dec 2020

The future of test: Black Flag

General Mark D. Kelly signed COMACC Plan 21 on December 15, 2020, effectively formalizing the 53rd Wing’s Large Force Test Events into “Black Flag” – an event solely focused on test and tactics development in a realistic, massed force, fully integrated, high threat density environment. Established as the test counterpart to Red Flag, an event designed to train like we fight, Black Flag allows the Air Force to test like we fight. While Red Flag builds readiness, Black flag builds capability.