View allAll Photos Tagged Redflags
My wife and I had some free time so we decided to drive down to Las Vegas for the Red Flag exercise in mid-March 2025. The weather forecast was good and there seemed to be a decent line-up of participating aircraft. Unfortunately both items fell short. The sky conditions were excellent but the weather sucked. Very high winds affected some of the fighters. The first afternoon we were there all F-16s and F-35s were grounded due to crosswinds. Also unfortunate was that Flex departures were cancelled at the last minute so the planes had to do a straight out departure - this sucked for photographers. In the late afternoon the recovery shifted to landings over Cheyenne Avenue. This was our first visit there in about a year and we couldn't believe the change. It was a mix of a homeless camp, scrap yard, bombed out Gaza, and just a totally trashy area. Burned out cars and car parts were everywhere. We didn't feel safe there despite being among other plane spotters. Wow. I took these photos in mid-March 2025.
Re aircraft activity - it seemed a lot lower than at prior Red Flags. There were a lot of Nellis resident aircraft but not too many visitors. It was a decent trip but not a great one.
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Rick Moore, 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron productions superintendent, performs a pre-flight inspection on a C-130J Super Hercules from Kadena Air Force Base, Japan, during Red Flag-Alaska 18-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 13, 2018. RF-A serves as an ideal platform for international engagement and the exercise has a long history of including allies and partners, ultimately enabling all involved to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures while improving interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Curt Beach)
Airman 1st Class Albert Sarroca completes a pre-flight check before launching an F-16 Fighting Falcon on a night training mission at Red Flag Feb. 23, 2010, on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. Airman Sarroca is a crew chief with the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from Shaw AFB, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth)
My wife and I had some free time so we decided to drive down to Las Vegas for the Red Flag exercise in mid-March 2025. The weather forecast was good and there seemed to be a decent line-up of participating aircraft. Unfortunately both items fell short. The sky conditions were excellent but the weather sucked. Very high winds affected some of the fighters. The first afternoon we were there all F-16s and F-35s were grounded due to crosswinds. Also unfortunate was that Flex departures were cancelled at the last minute so the planes had to do a straight out departure - this sucked for photographers. In the late afternoon the recovery shifted to landings over Cheyenne Avenue. This was our first visit there in about a year and we couldn't believe the change. It was a mix of a homeless camp, scrap yard, bombed out Gaza, and just a totally trashy area. Burned out cars and car parts were everywhere. We didn't feel safe there despite being among other plane spotters. Wow. I took these photos in mid-March 2025.
Re aircraft activity - it seemed a lot lower than at prior Red Flags. There were a lot of Nellis resident aircraft but not too many visitors. It was a decent trip but not a great one.
Hongqi-2 (Chinese: 红旗, literally: Red Flag or Red Banner), the first generation Chinese guided surface-to-air missile, on display at the Artillery & Aircraft Park of the Minsk World, Shenzhen, China.
For further information about this type of missile, please see:
www.sinodefence.com/army/surfacetoairmissile/hongqi2.asp
and
Royal Air Force Sgt. Kristian Archer, 47th Squadron aircraft ground engineer, walks on the flight line prior to takeoff during Red Flag-Alaska 18-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 16, 2018. RF-A 18-3 serves as an ideal platform for international engagement and the exercise has a long history of including allies and partners, ultimately enabling all involved to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures while improving interoperability. (U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caitlin Russell)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Hoffman, a 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron crew chief from Kadena Air Force Base, Japan, prepares to marshal a U.S. Air Force MC-130H Combat Talon ll during Red Flag-Alaska 18-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug 16, 2018. RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and international forces flown under simulated air combat conditions. The exercises are focused on improving the combat readiness of U.S. and international forces and providing training for units preparing for air expeditionary force taskings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan Valdes Montijo)
Royal Air Force Airmen with the 47th squadron, prepare a RAF C-130J for flight during Red Flag-Alaska 18-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug 16, 2018. RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and international forces flown under simulated air combat conditions. The exercises are focused on improving the combat readiness of U.S. and international forces and providing training for units preparing for air expeditionary force taskings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan Valdes Montijo)
I have just now decided that I will edit one photo a day. Minimally (As if I could do anything, but, Still usig Windows Live Photo Editor) The way, the 26 or so hours I'll be spending in the car ths coming weekend will not be so boring-I'll have hundreds, if not, thousands of photos. :)
This is my one for today, I just adjusted the contrast-I can't even process anything atm cuz I'm just so tired. Will probably decide on a different edit next time around. And there WILL be a next time...
Today was very busy! Two trips to the grocery store before 1230, One to Wings, One to a surfshop, one to the Life is Good shop, and LOTS of swimming! :) We started off at the beach, but an hour and a half or so they issued a red flag-no swimming for the rest of the day. I believe it was due to the rip tides. Thank goodness we have a pool in our backyard (as well as a volleyball net, horse-shoe rink(?), shuffleboard court and other things. And really, with all that stuff and all this family, you don't really run out of things to do. Ever. It's non-stop. I am SO tired. And I have a surfing-lesson tomorrow at 8. Let's hope they've taken that cursed red-flag down by then. :)