As India struggles with record heat a team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is raising the temperatures in the cold climes of Alaska. Eight Rafale fighter jets, equally split between single-seaters and twin-seaters, are taking part in the prestigious Red Flag – Alaska 24-2 exercise. The top guns of the Air Force will hone their skills with aircrew from other countries in the 15-day exercise which begins today. Besides the formidable Rafales the IAF has also sent Il-78 mid-air refuellers and C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft to Eielson Air Force Base in the heart of Alaska, just 40 km away from the town of Fairbanks.
The Red Flag exercises are a multi-national exercise designed to replicate a realistic and challenging environment. The exercise brings together aircrew and equipment from different nations and different services. The idea is to bring distinct elements to work together in a coordinated manner allowing for a more comprehensive learning environment. There are two distinct Red Flag exercise locations at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada and in Alaska. The exercise in Nevada is organised by the United States Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC). The exercise in Alaska is organised by the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), the air component command of the United States’ Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM).
The exercise will be a unique experience for the Indian Air Force. Eielson Air Force Base is home to a squadron of F-16 fighting falcons and two squadrons of the United States Air Forces’ (USAF) top-of-the-line F-35s.
The 18 th Aggressor Squadron, which will be central to the exercise flies the F-16 C/D. The Pakistani Air Force also flies a squadron of this variant, which is their most advanced version of the F-16. The 51 st Fighter Wing of the USAF will also take part in the exercise and will come to the exercise with a more advanced version of the F-16.
The exercise is managed by the 353rd Combat Training Squadron based at Eielson AFB. The 353 rd manages three weapons ranges with an area of 1,80,000 square km, comparable to the size of the state of Karnataka. The squadron also handles 28 threat systems mimicking weapons that threaten aircraft. In the last iteration of the exercise held Red Flag Alaska 24-1, participating aircraft had access to airspace that was nearly 2,00,000 square km. That is between the size of the states of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
60 aircraft can use the Eielson AFB and another 40 aircraft utilise the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. At peak times as many as 70 fighters can be operating in the same area. Giving an unparalleled experience to fighter pilots and controllers both in AWACs and on the ground to coordinate and execute complex tactical scenarios and is in itself an exceptional exercise in air space management. The size aspect of the unrestricted airspace is also an exceptional characteristic of the exercise. Over 100 countries are smaller than the size of the airspace involved. Making this a truly exceptional learning experience for the Indian Air Force pilots and ground crew alike.
Dhruv Yadav
