The Red Flag 16-2 exercise, which for the first time saw the participation of 8 Eurofighter aircraft of the Italian Air Force, ended at the Nellis air base in Nevada (United States). The Italian aircraft performed 115 both day and night air missions for a total of about 180 flight hours. For the management of the entire exercise a Autonomous Flight Department (RAV), composed of 190 elements of the Italian Air Force mainly coming from the operational departments of the Combat Forces Command of Milan, and precisely from the 4 ° Stormo of Grosseto, from the 36 ° Stormo of Gioia del Colle (BA) and from the 37 ° Stormo of Trapani.
The col. Marco Bertoli, commander of the RAV in Nellis, highlighted how “the Red Flag is configured as one of the most realistic scenarios in the world in developing the integration and synergy of the air assets present for the conduct of complex operations. This training was also an important opportunity to develop the ability to deploy at considerable distances from Italy (about 9.600 kilometers), in environmental conditions often very different from those present on the national territory, not only the 8 aircraft but all of this. which is needed for their functioning to enable them to fit quickly and effectively into modern operational contexts ".
Bertoli also added that "the Air Force has focused on training and training young pilots already qualified Combat Ready for this Flag. In fact, these boys and girls are expected to remain in their respective operational departments for a long time and will therefore be able to transfer their fundamental experience for years to come. "
La Red Flag it is an aerial exercise in which the pilots consolidate the ability to use the weapon systems supplied and the validity of the respective tactics, by organizing and coordinating "air packages" consisting of a large number of aircraft, consolidating at the same time the ability to operate jointly with other Departments in operations, mainly of Air Defense and, secondly, in air / ground mode.
The 'enemy' part was carried out by the F-15, F-16, AT-38 and A4 aircraft which played the role of the so-called aggressors and which simulated the most advanced and therefore more demanding enemy tactics to counter. This air “threat” was accompanied, in each mission, by the surface / air one in order to guarantee a scenario as realistic as possible.
The 414 ° Combat Training Squadron of the American Air Force was in charge of the entire exercise which saw the daily commitment of about 80 aircraft of different operational types in both day and night air operations to offer pilots dedicated training and which included a great variety of types of air missions. In addition to the 8 Italian Eurofighters were present at the Red Flag also Turkish aircraft (F16 and KC-135R) and a series of American aircraft such as F16, F15, C130H, MQ9, AT-38C, B-1B, B-52, KC-135, Marine helicopters for Combat-SAR tasks ( Search And Rescue) and special ground troops.
The Nellis base is located near Las Vegas and as its motto mentions is 'Home of the fighter pilot'. The base houses theUS Air Warfare Center, on which depend, in addition to the American aerobatic team (the Thunderbirds) and other entities, the 57th Wing, whose mission is to train flight crews capable of carrying out integrated combat operations, both multinational and joint. The training organized by the 57th Wing, in fact, integrates a multitude of both American and allied air and ground units, in order to teach the participating crews the most advanced combat techniques. The 57th Wing has among its institutional tasks the planning, organization and control of two of the most advanced joint exercises in the world: the 'Green Flag and the Red Flag.
