- Details
- Hits: 161
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. (March 31, 2024): Responding to the unacceptable loss of American pilots during the Vietnam War, the Air Force created a series of advanced aerial combat training exercises held at multiple locations several times a year. Officially called Red Flag, these two-week training events offer realistic air combat training for military pilots and flight crews from the United States and allied countries. In the above photo by William R. Lewis, Major Nathan Persons and Captain Annie Braun, weapon systems officers assigned to the 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, depart an F-15E Strike Eagle after finishing their Red Flag mission at Nellis AFB.
Air combat over North Vietnam between 1965 and 1973 led to an overall exchange ratio (ratio of enemy aircraft shot down to the number of own aircraft lost to enemy fighters) of over two to one. This unacceptable performance by U.S. Air Force fighter pilots and weapon systems officers in air-to-air combat led to losses that were much higher during the Vietnam War in comparison to previous wars.
Red Flag was created in 1975 to offer USAF pilots and weapon systems officers the opportunity to fly ten realistically simulated combat missions in a safe training environment with measurable results. The exercises bring together aircrews from the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Army and numerous NATO and allied nations. The training scenarios include a variety of fighter interdiction, attack/strike, and air superiority missions. Other groups practiced enemy air defense suppression, airlifting supplies, and mid-air refueling. In a 12 month period, more than 500 aircraft flew more than 20,000 sorties while training more than 5,000 aircrews and 14,000 support and maintenance personnel.
Read more: Unacceptable losses… Red Flag Exercises Sharpen Air Combat Skills
- Details
- Hits: 133
Travis Air Force Base, California. (March 25, 2024): In a job that truly requires a “Jack of All Trades”, Air Force Propulsion Journeymen are charged with repairing and maintaining some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world. In this photo by Airman Colleen Anthony, Airman 1st Class Lyric Kennedy, an aerospace propulsion journeyman with the 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, performs maintenance on one of the four engines on the giant C-17 Globemaster III transport plane.
Aerospace Propulsion specialists are the prime reason our aircraft keep flying.
They evaluate, maintain, and repair jet engines on virtually anything the Air Force flies. Their duties include troubleshooting engine problems and determining repair procedures and can even replace entire engines “on the fly.” These talented mechanics also install, inspect, and repair a variety of engine components including propellers. Their knowledge of the intricacies of complex propulsion systems is vital to keeping aircraft serviced so they can be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
- Details
- Hits: 117
Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. (March 29, 2024): In this photo by Senior Airman Natalie Vandergriff, a Special Tactics Airman assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing conducts a military free fall during Emerald Warrior. Exercise Emerald Warrior prepares Special Operations Command forces to respond to a variety of potential threats.
This year’s event featured operations in three extreme cold weather environments throughout the midwestern United States. Air commandos trained in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear readiness, and a new decontamination system for the first time.
Training is conducted at multiple locations that mirror the geographical features our forces will most likely encounter when deployed. Participants took part in realistic training on multiple days at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico; Hurlburt Field, Florida, and both Camp McCain and Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
In its seventeenth year, Emerald Warrior today is focused less on direct action and more on cyberwarfare, intelligence gathering, space warfare, and information operations. Special Operators practiced airfield security, personnel recovery, and casualty evacuation. Space operations also played a prominent role including satellite communications, electronic warfare, and electronic surveillance.
- Details
- Hits: 182
Sofia, Bulgaria, (March 23, 2024): “Fearless men who jump and die, men who mean just what they say, the brave men of the Green Beret.” These immortal words from the Ballad of the Green Beret, written by Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler during the Vietnam War, became one of the top ten songs of the era. These storied warriors have been featured in countless films and media accounts for their intelligence, skills, and fearlessness.
Just who are the Green Berets?
In the above photo by Sergeant Alejandro Lucero, Army Green Berets provide security with Bulgarian and Romanian special operations forces soldiers during recent joint maneuvers in this NATO country. The exercise is typical for the elite Green Berets who work in small teams and specialize in psychological and guerrilla operations.
What sets them apart from conventional forces is the intensive language and cultural training they receive for countries within their regional area of responsibility. Their core mission is unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counterterrorism, and special reconnaissance. These small units emphasize language, cultural, and training skills in working with foreign troops. Recruits are required to learn a foreign language and must maintain knowledge of the political, economic, and cultural complexities of the regions in which they are deployed. Other Special Forces missions include combat search and rescue, counter-narcotics, hostage rescue, and humanitarian assistance.
- Details
- Hits: 134
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. (March 28, 2024): In a simulated disaster, a gas leak has resulted in an explosion on base resulting in mass casualties and many victims suffering exposure to hazardous chemicals. In this photo by Samuel King Jr., Senior Airman Axel Rojas, 96th Civil Engineer Group, hoses down Airman Aaron Patrimonio, 96th Medical Group, during mass casualty exercise Ready Eagle II. The exercise challenged the 96th medics and firefighters to respond through the entire medical process, from triage and decontamination to higher-level care.
Ready Eagle II is a three-day long program that progresses from classroom work to tabletop exercises before concluding with a realistic simulated mass casualty event. For the final evaluation, instructors gauged the Airmen’s ability to respond to the threat by performing decontamination and triage on patients.
The Airmen practiced their Tactical Combat Casualty Care, the decontamination process, and executing their medical contingency response plan in a high-tempo situation. The exercise scenario involved chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives and involved more than thirty simulated patients. The patients wore special effects makeup to replicate various injuries to add a sense of realism.
Medical teams treated simulated patients at the incident site, transported them to decontamination sites, conducted triage, and stabilized them for transport. Airmen began treating patients after determining the proper prioritization by gathering their information, applying bandages or tourniquets, and moving them to a simulated ambulance loading area.
- Details
- Hits: 133
Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. (March 31, 2024): In the above photo, members of the Air Force Civil Air Patrol (CAP) practice land navigation as part of search and rescue training held here recently. During the exercise, volunteers used a compass while conducting a search and rescue in a lost-person scenario, a typical emergency in which the patrol is called on to assist.
The CAP is a federally funded non-profit corporation that serves as the Air Force auxiliary that supports America’s communities in an emergency. CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership of cadets ranging from twelve to just under 21 years of age. The CAP is a major operator of single-engine general aviation aircraft used in the execution of its various missions, including orientation flights for cadets and the provision of emergency services. Because of these extensive flying opportunities, many CAP members become licensed pilots.