RED FLAG 09-5

[Matt Ottosen]

RED FLAG is an advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Since 1975, air crew from the United States Air Force (USAF) and other U.S. military branches and allies take part in the exercises.

[wingsnstuff]

Matt

Here's a pretty good link that provides lots of interesting information about the Red Flag exercises at Nellis.  There's also some interesting photos.

http://www.dreamlandresort.com/info/nellis.html

[Joe Copalman]

RF 09-5 Players:

Red Air
F-16CG, Nellis AFB, Nev.
F-15C, Nellis AFB

Blue Air
F-15C/D, Westfield, Mass. (Air National Guard)

Interdiction
F-16CG, Hill AFB, Utah
B-52H, Barksdale AFB, La.
AMX, Italian Air Force
F-16CG, United Arab Emirates
F/A-18, NAS Miramar, Calif.

Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses
EA-6B, NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.

Command, control, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance
E-3, Tinker AFB, Okla.

Special Operations Forces
MC-130, Hurlburt, Field, Fla.

Aerial Refueling
KC-135, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
KC-135, McConnell AFB, Kans.

Number of aircraft: 76

[Matt Ottosen]

These seem interesting, but not enough to make me want to make the drive and stand in the heat.

B-52H, Barksdale AFB, La.
AMX, Italian Air Force
F-16CG, United Arab Emirates

I guess I'll be skipping FLAGs 09-4 and 09-5 and hoping for a big show (B-1, B-2, and B-52) come 10-1 in October.

[photorecon]

Look at the bottom of the post as it says no aviation photo days  scheduled  yet, check back in a few days, this is looking good as it says day's as in possibly 2 or more like in Jan 09. http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/flyingoperations.asp

[Matt Ottosen]

Aviation Photography Days 26-27 Aug 2009

Red Flag aviation photography days will be 26 and 27 August. Due to limited manpower, we will only host 30 photographers each day. Preference will go to those with large audiences. Free-lance photographers will need a letter of intent to publish. Depending upon the number of requests, photographers may be limited to one day. Also, only those who have been to Nellis in the last two years will be eligible to apply. Both days will be between the runways.

For registration information, please e-mail SrA Ryan Whitney at ryan.whitney@nellis.af.mil before August 1 to be considered for the media days..

[photorecon]

[photorecon]

[photorecon]

[photorecon]

[photorecon]

[photorecon]

[photorecon]

UAE F-16 Block 60 at Red Falg 2009-5 The most advanced F-16s in the world, however, are not American. That distinction belongs to the United Arab Emirates, whose F-16 E/F Block 60s are a generation ahead of the F-16 C/D Block 50/52+ aircraft that form the backbone of the US Air Force and many other fleets around the world. The Block 60 has been described as a lower-budget alternative to the forthcoming F-35A Joint Strike Fighter – and is being treated as such in countries like India and the Netherlands, as they contemplate their future fighter needs.

[Matt Ottosen]

Joe, really awesome shots from this Red Flag!  I especially like the UAE AZ F-16E Block 60 Desert Falcon!