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UAE F-16s make debut appearance in US 'Red Flag' exercise By Craig Hoyle Lockheed Martin F-16Es from the United Arab Emirates air force are participating in the US Air Force's "Red Flag" series of multinational exercises for the first time, with the current manoeuvres set to conclude at Nellis AFB, Nevada on 5 September. The UAE aircraft are drawn from its US-based training squadron for the Block 60 F-16E/F, which is permanently based at Tucson AFB. Air force personnel set for involvement in the Red Flag exercise took part in a two-week series of preparatory training at the Arizona base...

Red Flag is underway at Nellis Air Force Base, and will be going until Sept. 5. Las Vegans and tourists alike sometimes get a hell of an air show when Red Flag is going on, but there is something new about Red Flag this year. For the first time, fighters from the United Arab Emirates will be participating in the combat exercise over the skies of Las Vegas.

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Las Vegas may have a reputation for fun and games, but when it comes to Red Flag exercises, there is no room for messing around, especially for the new guys. The very purpose of Red Flag is to train new Airmen - especially pilots - to plan and fight in large force employments, or LFEs. For Lt. Col. Ross "Rosco" Anderson, Red Flag 09-4 Air Expeditionary Wing Operations Group commander, his first Red Flag in July 1996, was a whole new ball game when it came to flying. "I was completely overwhelmed by the...

4/23/2009 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) -- During Red Flag-Alaska, thousands of feet above the rugged Alaskan terrain, pilots push their aircraft to the limits, performing dog fights and defensive maneuvers against aggressors, honing their skills for combat missions. However, pilots aren't the only ones who are contributing to mission success. During the Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercise, there are men and women on the ground who ensure those aircraft are safe and ready to go into combat and engage enemy targets. "Maintainers are an integral part of the mission here," said Staff Sgt. James George,...

Its nickname is “warthog.” That’s the first clue that flying an A-10 is not the Air Force’s most glamorous mission. It’s designed to support ground troops, not to engage in the dogfighting that makes up the pop culture image of air combat. The wars in the Middle East, though, have made close-air support — bombing targets near troops — one of the Air Force’s top missions. “The A-10 was not the most sexy, popular weapon system the Air Force had,”said Lt. Col. Paul Johnson, the 414th Combat Training Squadron director of operations at Nellis Air Force Base. “But now since...

An article in last week's Wall Street Journal reports that electric utility companies are zapped about a surprise drop in electricity consumption not necessarily related to the economic recession but perhaps to conservation (energy efficient lightbulbs?). If so, this would be an early warning signal for California to re-assess its rush into Green Power (wind and solar) which is entirely redundant with conventional power resources (coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydro). Our elected municipal leaders should quickly re-think their positions and policies on Green Power and the requirements of AB 32 in light of this new trend. Should a moratorium be...

Indian Su-30 fighters depart for Red Flag exercise By Radhakrishna Rao An Indian air force contingent with eight Sukhoi Su-30MKI combat aircraft, two Ilyushin Il-78 air-to-air refuellers and one Il-76 transport has left India to participate in the 9-23 August multinational exercise Red Flag '08 at the US Air Force's Nellis AFB in Nevada. It will be the first time that the Russian-made Su-30MKI will participate in multinational manoeuvres involving US and other NATO fighters. India expects to spend around Rp1 billion ($23 million) on its participation in the air combat exercise. Sources in India's state-owned Defence Research and Development...

The walls are decorated with old Soviet Union propaganda, urging admirers of the art to note a "Glory to the Soviet People -- The Creator of Powerful Aviation", and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics flags with the infamous hammer and sickle graphic are spread throughout the building. However, these walls covered in Soviet decor belong to a group of American Airmen replicating the threat posed by the former USSR. The Aggressors accomplish this by using aircraft painted in old Soviet-style blue, black and forest flanker themes, Soviet-style air tactics and has even been known to play the Russian national anthem...

U.S. fighter pilots from Japan and South Korea are honing their combat skills at Operation Red Flag-Alaska, a two-week exercise that ends Friday. Hosted by Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska’s central interior, the exercise is part of the spin up for a second deployment downrange this fall for the 14th Fighter Squadron from Misawa Air Base in northern Japan. “Every one of the pilots flying with the 14th Fighter Squadron will be deploying to Operation Iraqi Freedom in September,” Col. Mark Altobelli, 35th Operations Group commander, was quoted in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. This year’s Red Flag also includes...

To protect Sukhoi secrets, IAF will switch off radars during exercise Manu Pubby Friday, December 28, 2007 at 0000 hrs New Delhi, December 27: India’s defence ties with the US may be reaching new heights, but the Air Force is keen to protect the secrets of its latest fighting machine, the Su 30MKI, from probing eyes during the high profile ‘Red Flag’ exercise scheduled to take place at the Nellis airbase in US in August next year. The Air Force is sending six Su 30s for the prestigious exercise — the first time the latest fighter from the Russian stable...

IAF gets Rs 100 cr for Red Flag November 16, 2007 NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 15: Brushing aside the Left’s objections to pursuing close defence ties with the US, the UPA Government has sanctioned an expenditure of Rs 100 crore to the Indian Air Force along with a formal approval to participate in the prestigious Red Flag advanced aerial combat exercises in Nevada with the Americans and other NATO allies in August 2008. While CPI’s A B Bardhan has openly objected to IAF’s participation in the Red Flag exercises, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has opposed any strategic relationship with the...

IAF seeks govt nod to take part in 'Red Flag' war games 5 Oct 2007, 1620 hrs IST,PTI NEW DELHI: In a move that could raise the hackles of the Left parties, the Indian Air Force has sought the government's nod to take part in the world's most advanced aerial combat training exercises, ironically labelled "Red Flag", hosted by the US. The IAF wants to take part in the exercises slated for January 2008 and has sought government's clearance, Air Force Chief Fali Homi Major said here on Friday. If the government gives the nod, this would be the second...

Republican presidential candidate John McCain assailed Democratic rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama on Friday for voting against legislation paying for the Iraq war, accusing them of embracing "the policy of surrender." McCain, an Arizona senator who backed the measure, called their opposition to the spending bill "the equivalent of waving a white flag to al-Qaida." "I was very disappointed to see Senator Obama and Senator Clinton embrace the policy of surrender by voting against funds to support our brave men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan," McCain said in a statement. Another Republican hopeful, Mitt Romney, also...

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNEWS) -- Red Flag-Alaska, a multi-service, multi-platform coordinated, combat operations exercise, kicked off April 5 with the ultimate goal of improving the operational capability of participating units and fostering stronger relations between U.S. and coalition forces. Red Flag-Alaska allows these units, whose missions may differ significantly, the opportunity to work in a training environment with units that may deploy together in the future. "Historically [in war], we have never fought alone, and these exercises help foster good community relations with our allies," said Col. Jeffry Smith, Air Expeditionary Wing commander for Red Flag-Alaska 07-1. "Red...

Visiting pilots get taste of battle U.S. Navy Prowlers, French Mirage 2000s are among combatants in 2-week exercise By DON HUNTER Anchorage Daily News Published: April 9, 2007 Last Modified: April 9, 2007 at 12:12 AM Listen up, bird-watchers. If you happen to see a dark gray jet take flight on the north side over the next couple weeks, and it looks, well, maybe a little more bumblebee than wasp, don't worry. Your eyes are OK. That's a U.S. Navy Prowler, not a U.S. Air Force F-15. Starting today, Alaska is playing home base to Red Flag, a big air-combat...

2/21/2007 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (ACCNS) -- "Undercover" is an understatement for the F-22A Raptor. A point clearly illustrated by pilots of the 94th Fighter Squadron, who delivered an aerial sucker punch to the seasoned Red Force opponents during the F-22A's debut at Red Flag here Feb. 3 -16. Among the Blue Force participants were foreign pilots from the Royal Air Force of England and Royal Australian Air Force, flying the GR-4 and F-111C respectively. In addition, the F-22s flew with the B-2 Spirit and F-117 Nighthawk, the aircraft that pioneered stealth. Though better known for its stealth...

Raptor debuts at Red Flag, dominates skies by Tech. Sgt. Russell Wicke Air Combat Command Public Affairs 2/20/2007 -  NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (ACCNS)  -- The 94th Fighter Squadron deployed 14 F-22A Raptors and 197 personnel from Langley AFB, Va., to participate in the aircraft's first Red Flag exercise, which ran from Feb. 3 to 16 here. An official from the 65th Aggressor Squadron said the F-22s demonstrated an extremely lopsided advantage in their favor. Pilots from the 65th and 64th AS, including exchange pilots from the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Air Force, of Australia and England respectfully, expressed...

3/28/2006 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Air Force chief of staff has announced the Cope Thunder exercise held in Alaska will be renamed and enhanced so it provides complementary training on the same level as the current Red Flag exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag - Alaska coupled with Red Flag - Nellis will provide the Air Force a common set of exercises in multiple locations that have standardized and equal training capabilities. “Red Flag - Alaska is an Air Force-level exercise that will build on and reinforce air force to air force habitual relationships,” said...

U.S. Pre-election Support to Fatah Raises Red Flags 20:35 Jan 23, '06 / 23 Tevet 5766 By Hana Levi Julian The United States is quietly helping Fatah in the Palestinian Authority prior to Wednesday’s legislative elections, providing financial support to boost the ruling party’s image. According to a report in Sunday's Washington Post, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has indirectly funded Fatah to the tune of $2-million for a number of popular projects. The plan to counter the rising popularity of terrorist organization Hamas, a first-time contender in the elections, may have backfired, however, despite no official USAID...

A major reorganization is in the works for China's open-source software industry, with discussions under way over how local Linux vendors and industry organizations can cooperate more closely -- including the possibility of a merger between several of the country's top Linux companies. If the discussions result in a merger, it would be one that involves some of the biggest names in China's Linux industry, including Turbolinux China Software, Red Flag Software, and Beijing Co-Create Open Source Software, according to executives involved with the discussions. Closer cooperation among Chinese Linux vendors and industry organizations is essential if the country's software...

An independent investigator has concluded that there is ``undisputed, direct'' evidence that San Jose's top administrator knew of clandestine communication between his staff and Cisco Systems that tainted an $8 million technology contract last year. The third report in two weeks issued by San Francisco law firm Hanson Bridgett contains some of the most damning e-mails to date connecting City Manager Del Borgsdorf to problems with the contract, which was ultimately voided because it illegally favored Cisco. Included is an e-mail from Cisco about contract issues that Borgsdorf and his deputy, Ed Shikada, received June 22, three hours before the...

CHANTILLY, Va. -- Capt. John Stratton discusses his role in the new IMAX film "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag." He served as the star of the film. The movie chronicles his experience as he participates in his first Red Flag exercise. The film made its premier Dec. 2 at the National Air and Space Museum here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. James Varhegyi) by Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez Air Force Print News 12/3/2004 - CHANTILLY, Va. -- Civilians and Airmen alike can get breathtaking insight into parts of the Air Force they may not have seen...

Ok, here goes - I do cross stitch - it's a hobby I picked up while I was in the military (great for finger dexterity, and beat the heck out of re-reading the same Louis Lamour books over and over while sitting on alert duty). Only access I have to the net nowadays is through work, so I'm facing a little constraint on being able to search for stuff. Now, a little history - I was in the Air Force, stationed at Nellis AFB as a jet engine mechanic. The last unit I served in was the 57th FW. I'm...

Have you been unknowingly indoctrinated by Communism? Most people would read the headline and quietly think to themselves, yea right Communism? We defeated Communism where does this guy come off asking such a question in this day and age, has he been living in a fallout shelter for 20 years? Well, just humor me and read on. Do you believe that it is “censorship” for the government to block pornography in libraries? Do you believe that a homosexual relationship is comparable to that of a heterosexual relationship? Do you believe that most Catholic priests molest children? Do you believe Howard...

By CNETAsia Staff Special to CNET News.com September 3, 2003, 9:02 AM PT Hewlett-Packard and a Chinese company have teamed to develop and market Linux software to companies in China--and later globally. China-based Linux distributor Red Flag Software and Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP announced the alliance Tuesday, according to a statement from HP. The two companies will establish an HP-Red Flag Linux laboratory in HP's existing facilities in Beijing as part of the agreement. A Linux demonstration center will be set up by both companies to provide services for local Linux users and independent distributors. HP will support the Red...

WASHINGTON: Still upset with France for its opposition to the Iraq war, the Pentagon has said that Paris been "disinvited" from participation in a long-scheduled Air Force exercise to be held next year in Nevada. The Pentagon told the French military attache here that his country has been "disinvited" from taking part in the exercise called Red Flag, media reports said. In the same spirit, France has already been informed that the US will limit its participation in next month's Paris Air Show, they said. No American generals would attend and there would be no demonstrations by US aircraft. American...