Red Flag 18-1 Kickoff

It is on like Donkey Kong.

This year’s first iteration of the USAF’s aerial war games, Red Flag, kicks off today. There will be day and night exercises. There will be tons of the best simulated combat we can set up. Two things make this year’s Red Flag a little different than most.

First, the guest list. Red Flag is always an invitation only affair. For this one, it’s Diamond Super Platinum members only. Which means Australia and the UK, in addition to America. That’s it. Nobody else.

Pretty hardcore, right? You may be wondering why. There’s likely going to be some testing of sensitive capabilities. Also, let’s look at some interesting notifications for aircraft operating in Los Angeles Center airspace and flying in and out of airports in the Las Vegas area.

Arrivals and departures from airports within the Las Vegas area may be issued non-Rnav re-routes with the possibility of increased traffic disruption near LAS requiring airborne re-routes to the south and east of the affected area. Aircraft operating in Los Angeles (ZLA) center airspace may experience navigational disruption, including suspension of Descend-via and Climb-via procedures. Non-Rnav SIDs and STARs may be issued within ZLA airspace in the event of increased navigational disruption. Crews should expect the possibility of airborne mile-in-trail and departure mile-in-trail traffic management initiatives.

Huh.

Among other things, the US DoD is cranking up a bunch of high powered GPS jammers in the Nevada Test and Training Range, and this might interfere with nearby civilian traffic. Consider yourself warned.

It’s about time we did some training in a no-GPS environment. See how we cope and develop TTPs. That’s what Red Flag is for.

2 thoughts on “Red Flag 18-1 Kickoff

  1. Checkmate

    A pity the state of the British armed forces is as bad as it is. Surprising Canada was not involved in this exercise. Or any of the EE nations (at the very least, Poland; though transporting equipment across Europe and the Atlantic may indeed be expensive, I guess) .

    Reply
    1. parvusimperator Post author

      EE nations have been invited (and will be invited) to other Red Flags. I don’t recall if Poland has offhand, but probably.

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