Airmen depart Red Flag-Alaska with air combat experience

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Jones
  • EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- After two weeks of advanced air combat training, the airborne warriors of Red Flag-Alaska are packing up and heading home and they won't be leaving empty handed. 

The aircrews received realistic combat training at Red Flag-Alaska. The exercise simulated warfare settings aircrews will encounter in the Global War on Terror. 

"Red Flag-Alaska presented a unique set of conditions which allowed participants to experience exceptional training," said Col. Daniel DeBree, Red Flag-Alaska deployed forces commander. "The unique characteristics of this training environment prepared us well for the air expeditionary force deployments we will conduct in the future." 

The set of conditions that made Red Flag-Alaska unique included Alaska's vast training range, the contributions of six allied air forces and the intense training provided by aggressor squadrons. 

"Red Flag-Alaska has the largest training airspace in North America, the Pacific Alaska Range Complex, with realistic bombing ranges and threat emitters," said Colonel DeBree. 

"In addition, the terrain in the PARC is more mountainous than that which the 4th Fighter Wing trains with in North Carolina, presenting different tactical challenges to aircrew," Colonel DeBree added.

During the exercise, American Airmen worked and flew alongside airmen from Japan, Mongolia, Spain, Thailand and Turkey. 

"Red Flag-Alaska fosters military-to-military communication at both the officer and enlisted levels that will help to improve the relationships of the countries involved," said Lt. Col. Brett Pauer, Director of Operations for Red Flag-Alaska.

Another key benefit of the exercise was the presence of the 65th Aggressor Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The aggressor role expands training opportunities across the board, to include ground, space and cyberspace by simulating the tactics and procedures of enemy aircrews. This provides the most-realistic simulated combat environment possible in a safe and controlled setting. 

"The Air Force is engaged every single day in global operations, fighting the Global War on Terror, defending our homeland, providing strategic deterrence, and giving our nation unparalleled Global Vigilance, Reach and Power," according to the 2007 U.S. Air Force Posture Statement. 

Red Flag-Alaska prepares our aircrews to provide those unparalleled capabilities.