View allAll Photos Tagged Redflags
U.S. Air Force Col. Peter Fesler, 1st Fighter Wing commander, arrives to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 18, 2017, to participate in Red Flag 17-1. Red Flag is the U.S. Air Force's premier joint and allied force air-to-air combat training exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natasha Stannard)
Thunderbirds 5 & 6 taken from gate 2 and 2 F-35's taken from gate 4 and one of the best low passes past the race track.
A pilot from Shaw Air Force Base's 79th Fighter Squadron prepares to land his F-16 Fighting Falcon as an HH-60 Pave Hawk prepares for approach in the background. Exercise Red Flag 16-3 includes 115 aircraft from 25 different units across the world and department of defense. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. David Salanitri)
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Joshua Aujero, 27th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief, inspects the canopy of a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor after landing to participate in Red Flag 17-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 18, 2017. Inspecting the canopy is a safety measure conducted post flight to ensure that the lamination is intact. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natasha Stannard)
Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15s are readied for flight in Red Flag 11-2.
From: Pacific Air Over Alaska
By Robert K. Ackerman, SIGNAL Magazine
October 2011
F-15SG Strike Eagles from the 428th Fighter Squadron taxi to the flightline for take-off March 19, 2019, at Red Flag on Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Red flag is the world’s premiere air-to-air combat training exercise. (U.S. Photo by Airman First Class Andrew Kobialka)
U.S. Airmen from Kadena Air Force Base, Japan, prepare for flight in an MC-130H Combat Talon II during Red Flag-Alaska 18-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 16, 2018. RF-A 18-3 is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and international forces flown under simulated air combat conditions. 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 Airman 1st Class Caitlin Russell)
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.
Lockheed-Martin F-16F Fighting Falcon
c/n: RF-8
Code: AZ
History: 00-6063, [00-3008], 3008
US Air Force
148th Fighter Squadron
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.
The RAF fast jet is among 150 aircraft taking part in the exercise, the largest of it's kind made possible by the vast expanse of the Nevada desert. The United States Air Force hosted the exercise and the Royal Australian Air Force also took part.