The Royal Australian Air
Force’s Wedgetail aircraft is participating in the most advanced international
air combat training activity, Exercise Red Flag in Alaska.
Red Flag Alaska, led by the United States Pacific Air
Forces Command is a large force employment exercise designed to replicate a
high-end combat environment.
Up to 60 personnel from RAAF Williamtown’s
Number 2 Squadron and more than 70 personnel from RAAF Richmond’s Number 37
Squadron will participate in world-class air combat training in the skies above
Alaska.
Commanding Officer Number 2
Squadron, Wing Commander Paul Carpenter said this was the biggest exercise yet
for the brand new E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and would involve a series of air
combat and surveillance scenarios that would test operational air and ground
crews to the highest level.
“This exercise will be an
important one as we move towards declaring Initial Operational Capability (IOC)
later this year,” Wing Commander Carpenter said.
“Red Flag will also provide
excellent opportunities for our personnel to integrate with a joint task force
to learn how other countries operate.”
Aircrew will be exposed to
large force employment on a scale not possible in Australia, when they perform
counter air, precision strike and offensive air support in packages of up to 60
aircraft.
A C-130H and C-130J Hercules
transport aircraft from 37SQN are also participating in the exercise, and will
practice a variety of roles including airdrop of cargo and landing at deployed
airfields.
“The C-130H and C-130J
personnel must be proficient in operating their aircraft in a range of environments
and scenarios, in order to support Defence operations,” said Officer Commanding
Number 84 Wing, Group Captain Donald Sutherland.
The coalition exercise will see participants from Australia, the US,
Germany, Poland, Japan and the NATO E-3A Component,
together with Russian and Bangladeshi military observers working together in
one of the largest activities the RAAF will be involved in this year.