A RAAF E-7A Wedgetail has arrived in Alaska to participate in the world’s most advanced international air combat training activity, Exercise Red Flag Alaska.
A US Pacific Air Forces Command-led large force employment exercise, Exercise Red Flag Alaska is designed to replicate a high-end combat environment over two weeks in August. The coalition exercise will see participants from Australia, the US, Japan and South Korea, together with a variety of nations as military observers, working together in one of the largest activities the RAAF will be involved in this year.
Up to 60 personnel from RAAF Williamtown’s 2 Squadron will take part in the exercise. Aircrew will be exposed to large force employment on a scale not possible in Australia, when they perform air battle management of coalition assets across a range of combat disciplines.
Exercise Red Flag Alaska is a large-forces exercise conducted in interior Alaska to simulate air combat. 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.
Officer Commanding 42 Wing, Group Captain Tracey Friend said: “This is an important exercise for the E-7A Wedgetail, as it will challenge the air and ground crews to the highest level through a series of air combat and surveillance scenarios.
“Exercise Red Flag Alaska will also provide excellent opportunities for our personnel to integrate with a joint task force, to learn how other countries operate and to develop important working relationships with major coalition partners.”
