Red Flag 20-02: the largest aerial exercise in the United States is underway

(To air Force)
10/03/20

With the first take - offs of the Italian assets, March 9 officially began Red Flag 2020-02, one of the most complex and realistic air exercises organized internationally which also involves the US, Spanish and German air forces at the American base in Nellis.

For the first time since 1989, the Air Force participates with three types of aircraft: the Eurofighters of the 4th, 36th and 37th Wing, in their second Red Flag after that of 2016; the CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) of the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare and the F-35s of the 32nd Wing of Amendola, both at the first presence in this particular training scenario.

This is the most important and complex training event of 2020 for the Air Force, an exercise in which pilots consolidate the skills of use of the weapon systems supplied and the validity of the respective tactics, through the organization and coordination of "packages" consisting of a large number of aircraft, while consolidating the ability to operate jointly with other departments, both of the Armed Forces and of other nations, in complex air operations.

As for the Italian F-35s and the CAEW this is the first ever participation in the Red Flag. With regard to the F-35 line, a significant figure must be underlined, which testifies to the continuous progress of the weapon system in operational terms. In fact, while in 2019 the Italian F-35 pilots took part in the Red Flag as pilot instructors classified in the 62nd Fighter Squadron of Luke AFB, flying however on US planes, today, after a few months, the 32 ° Stormo is present at the Red Flag 20-02 not only with its pilots and support staff but also with six aircraft called to operate in this scenario to further consolidate tactics and operational procedures with the aim of increasing interoperability with the other assets present.

The presence of the Air Force, for the first time with the F-35A aircraft, will also be an excellent training opportunity to further increase and consolidate the role of the new aircraft as enablers fundamental in complex scenarios, which include advanced air and ground threats, allowing even greater effectiveness of fourth generation assets. All this will be possible thanks to greater integration and synergy that can be achieved with perfect interoperability of the same legacy aircraft with those of the fifth generation.

The presence of the CAEW has also aroused great interest as Italy is the first nation to take part in the exercise with this aircraft. The expectations in terms of training returns for this structure are to further consolidate the air surveillance and command and control functions in order to guarantee information superiority. The CAEW will have the task of Airborne Mission Coordinator in missions combined e Joint Personnel Recovery, operating a very large number of planes for the first time in an American polygon.

The  Euro Fighter, at the second Red Flag after that of 2016, it sees the presence of assets and pilots of the Air Force fighter flocks. In 2016 i Typhoon they have been engaged in this exercise carrying out training based on heterogeneous missions. During this exercise, the line has, among the many training objectives, also that of implementing the capacity Swing Role or the characteristic of this machine to be able to operate without distinction in the roles of air / air, air / soil and reconnaissance.

The deployment on the US air base was conducted with the support of a C-130J of the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa, which guaranteed the role of Search and Rescue during the flight of the participating assets, and of KC-767A aircraft of the 14 ° Stormo di Pratica di Mare which, in addition to ensuring a high load capacity and transport of personnel and materials, guaranteed the necessary support in terms of refueling in flight to the aero-tactical assets during the flight.

A significant operational and logistical deployment that the Armed Force has managed to carry out as planned, despite the concomitant organizational efforts at national level in the context of the current actions of contrast and management of the COVID-19 emergency.