388 FW building combat experience at Red Flag

  • Published
  • By Andrea V. Mason
  • 388th Fighter Wing
It's exercise training time here again for more than two hundred 388th Fighter Wing pilots, maintainers and some 75th Air Base Wing support personnel participating in Red Flag 12-2, which began Jan. 23 and concludes Feb. 3.

Since 1975, Red Flag has been one of the world's largest and most realistic combat training exercises involving U.S. forces and its allies, including the Royal Saudi Air Force and the Republic of Korea.

"This exercise is a one-of-a-kind training opportunity for our wing to better prepare for combat," said Col. Scott Long, 388th Fighter Wing commander, who is serving as the Red Flag Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "After these two weeks of integrated warfighting and training, our Airmen will be better prepared and will remain strong to defend this Nation when called upon anywhere, anytime."

During the overview session Sunday morning, the 57th Wing commander Brig. Gen. T.J. O'Shaughnessy delivered opening remarks and enthusiastically welcomed the aircrew, unit intelligence and coalition partners.

"This is a dynamic training exercise that will better prepare you for whatever tomorrow will bring," he said.

At the start of the exercise, a designated "blue team" representing United States allied forces is pinned against a "red team" of simulated enemy forces.

The air-to-air confrontation requires more than 90 aircraft to depart Nellis twice daily, at approximately noon and 6 p.m., and remain in the air for a maximum of four hours. As the skies over the Nevada Test and Training Range fill with military aircraft, Red Flag participants experience valuable training in planning and executing various combat missions. In addition, the exercise provides an avenue for foreign partners to train with U.S. forces in friendly skies.

"Red Flag builds friendships and helps us to better understand each other's culture," said Col. Tod Fingal, Red Flag commander. "It helps to foster working relationships, so when we're called upon to work together, we work safely, effectively and efficiently."

In preparation for the large-scale exercise, participants attended mass training briefings, exercise overview meetings and mission planning sessions. During a 388th FW mission planning session, Lt. Col. Jay Sabia, 4th Fighter Squadron commander, rallied the Fuujin support team and pilots for what he thinks will be an important two-week exercise.

"Red Flag is a great learning experience," he said, "It will be as good as it gets before we get that call to go to war - now let's make it count."

In addition to the 388 FW from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, the air-to-space and air-to-ground training includes units from Nevada, Colorado, South Dakota, Louisiana, California, Massachusetts and Oklahoma that are flying the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, E-3 Sentry, B-1 Lancer, and KC-135 Stratotanker.

Follow the 388 FW on Twitter at www.twitter.com/388fw for daily Red Flag updates.
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