Aircraft and personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have arrived in the United States to participate in Exercise Red Flag Alaska.
The United States Pacific Air Forces-led large force employment exercise is designed to replicate a high-end combat environment.
Task Unit Commander, Group Captain Nicholas Pratt, said the exercise will challenge air and ground crews to the highest level through a series of air combat and surveillance scenarios in unfamiliar airspace.
“Exercise Red Flag Alaska is a great opportunity to work closely with the United States to support our shared view of a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Group Captain Pratt said.
“It allows our two countries to continue to improve our interoperability and integration through combat scenarios that give participants an opportunity to make the tough calls combat often requires.”
RAAF regularly participates in the Red Flag Alaska exercise series, which is a major contributor to Australia’s high standard of air battle management capability.
“The exercise provides an unmatched environment in which our Air Force personnel can showcase their extraordinary abilities in a deployed scenario,” Group Captain Pratt said.
“Our teams will work from Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska for the period of the exercise.”
Aircrews will be operating in the 67,000 square-mile Joint Alaska Pacific Range Complex, which offers adequate space and ranges for crews to simulate full-scale aerial battles.
The exercise will run from 28 July to 12 August 2022 and involve more than 260 Australian personnel.
