Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. (March 31, 2024): Responding to the unacceptable loss of American pilots during the Vietnam War, the Air Force created a series of advanced aerial combat training exercises held at multiple locations several times a year. Officially called Red Flag, these two-week training events offer realistic air combat training for military pilots and flight crews from the United States and allied countries. In the above photo by William R. Lewis, Major Nathan Persons and Captain Annie Braun, weapon systems officers assigned to the 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, depart an F-15E Strike Eagle after finishing their Red Flag mission at Nellis AFB.
Air combat over North Vietnam between 1965 and 1973 led to an overall exchange ratio (ratio of enemy aircraft shot down to the number of own aircraft lost to enemy fighters) of over two to one. This unacceptable performance by U.S. Air Force fighter pilots and weapon systems officers in air-to-air combat led to losses that were much higher during the Vietnam War in comparison to previous wars.
Red Flag was created in 1975 to offer USAF pilots and weapon systems officers the opportunity to fly ten realistically simulated combat missions in a safe training environment with measurable results. The exercises bring together aircrews from the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Army and numerous NATO and allied nations. The training scenarios include a variety of fighter interdiction, attack/strike, and air superiority missions. Other groups practiced enemy air defense suppression, airlifting supplies, and mid-air refueling. In a 12 month period, more than 500 aircraft flew more than 20,000 sorties while training more than 5,000 aircrews and 14,000 support and maintenance personnel.
The exercise involves pilots using "enemy" hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the adjacent Nevada Test and Training Range. These "aggressor squadrons" fly against the pilots undergoing training and are selected from the top fighter aces in the U.S. Air Force. These pilots were trained to operate according to the tactical doctrines of the Russian, Chinese, and other enemies to better simulate what U.S. and NATO pilots would likely encounter in real combat.
Thanks to Red Flag, America will never again face the loss of aircraft experienced in the skies above Vietnam.