Barksdale participates in Exercise Red Flag - Alaska

Published May 7, 2010
By Staff Sgt. John Gordinier
2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Approximately 150 2d Bomb Wing pilots, maintenance Airmen and support personnel recently returned from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, where they participated in the 10-day Exercise Red Flag - Alaska.

The exercise is designed to provide realistic and demanding air-combat training to flying units from across the Air Force, Department of Defense and Allied nations.

"Everyone who participates (in the exercise) benefits greatly from the training," said Maj. Thomas Aranda, 96th Bomb Squadron assistant director of operations. "The aviators enjoy some of the most realistic air-combat training available and the maintainers push the edge of the envelope by generating combat power under very tight timelines and challenging conditions."

The major said support personnel also benefit from the exercise by operating in a deployed environment and acquiring experience in providing expeditionary combat support to the Joint war-fighter.

According to Major Aranda, there are two critical aspects of Red Flag -- integration and realism.

Integration provides rare opportunities for combat Airmen from across the armed forces to meet and practice combat tactics together, Major Aranda said. This provides B-52 combat aviators valuable experience integrating with the rest of the combat air forces.

Captain A.J. Schrag, 96th Bomb Squadron B-52H pilot, agreed.

"These types of exercises are fantastic," he said. "Any exercise with many people from many different backgrounds, unifying as one team, adds extreme value in mission capability and readiness."

"Integration also provides our escort fighters experience in protecting the bomber, which is something we want them to do well when we go to combat," Major Aranda explained. "Our crews learn quite a bit from other units and they learn from us. It is a win-win situation."

Major Aranda said realism provides relevant combat training to participating units. The events associated with combat, from adversary tactics to friendly force operations, are replicated as authentically as possible. A notional Combined Air Operations Center sends an Air Tasking Order to Exercise Red Flag participants every day. The aviators, maintainers and support personnel then plan and execute missions to fulfill the requirements in the ATO.

"The tactical problems are demanding and push aviators and maintainers to new heights," the major added. "During execution, highly trained aggressors replicate adversary tactics and provide a realistic combat experience to the exercise participants. This sharpens the edge of the war-fighter and results in finely honed combat Airmen."

This is one of many Red Flag - Alaska exercises to come.

Red Flag - Alaska occurs four times per year during the non-winter season and takes place at both Eielson and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Units deploy to both bases and meet in the air over the state of Alaska twice a day for two weeks to conduct their exercise training.

Other units that participated in this exercise include: the 80th Fighter Squadron from Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea; 335th Fighter Squadron from Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.; 517th Airlift Squadron from Elmendorf AFB; U.S. Marine Corps Attack Squadron 211 from Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz.; 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron from Elmendorf AFB; 961st AACS from Kadena AB, Japan; 67th Fighter Squadron from Kadena AB; 525th Fighter Squadron from Elmendorf AFB and Navy SEAL Team 10. Finally, Eielson's 353rd Combat Training Squadron facilitated the exercise while the 18th Aggressor Squadron played "Red Air" or opposing forces during the exercise.

Captain Schrag gathered some experience by playing in the exercise.

"I enjoyed learning the specific capabilities of the B-52H," he said. "This exercise shows each pilot and maintainer how they fit into the big picture. It gives you more insight on what you bring to the fight."

"We are very grateful for the opportunity to participate in Exercise Red Flag-Alaska," concluded Major Aranda. "I am very proud of our maintainers for producing B-52 sorties at a rate well above average with scarce resources. Our aviators held their own in a demanding combat-like environment and integrated well. They did a tremendous job."