Supercruise Aviation - Article
Nellis, Red Flag 12-02

Nellis Air Force Base is one of the largest fighter bases in the world. Aircraft from Nellis operate on the Nevada Test and Training Range, which offers more than 15,000 square miles of airspace and 4,700 square miles of restricted land. More than 75 percent of all live munitions used by the Air Force for training are dropped on the Nevada Test and Training Range. From 100 feet above the ground to twice the speed of sound, Nellis conducts advanced combat training, performs operational test and evaluation, and develops tactics.

Red Flag is the Air Force's premier air-to-air combat training exercise. Participants often include both US and allied nations' combat air forces. The exercise gives pilots the experience of multiple, intensive air combat sorties in the safety of a training environment.

Red Flag was established in 1975 as one of the initiatives directed by General Robert J. Dixon, then commander of Tactical Air Command, to better prepare our forces for combat. Tasked to plan and control this training, the 414th Combat Training Squadron's mission is to maximize the combat readiness, capability and survivability of participating units by providing realistic training in a combined air, ground, space and electronic threat environment while providing for a free exchange of ideas between forces.

Red Flag 12-2
The exercise had units from, Colorado, South Dakota, Louisiana, Utah, California, Massachusetts and Oklahoma. Also F-15K’s from Republic of Korea and F-15’s from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Aggressors
F-15C 78-0509/WA-09 of the 65th AGRS (Aggressor Squadron) with a new “Splinter” camouflage probably inspired to the one of the Su-35S and PAK-FA.

Also the F-16C 86-0273 in the "Arctic" color scheme.
The B-1Bs from Ellsworth
The 28th BW came with both de squadrons, the 34th BS (Thunderbirds) and the 37th BS (Tigers)
From New Orleans, the 122th FS came with all there F-15s, that could fly
All the way from the east coast, came the 131th FS with there F-15s
During the exercise it is not only training, there is also time for some fun, like this Eagle going almost straight up.
The E-3Bs from Tinker provided the Airborne Warning and Controle during the exercise
Unfortunately one of the AWACS will probably never fly again. As he stood on the plaform, his nose wheel collapsed. After that a fire broken out. The fire badly damaged the fuselarge.
From Hill AFB in Utah, came 388th FW with there F-16CG and F-16DG
During the briefing on media day, we were told that it was prohibited to photograf the Hill F-16s and any airplane with the code OT.
Unfortunately, the possibilities for photographing the Hill F-16 from outside the airfield were not that good during this exercise.

There were also foreign participants during this Red Flag, namely the Saudi Arabian Air Force with their F-15S and the South Korean Air Force with there F-15K, witch came directly from the Boeing factory.
F-15S from Saudi Arabian Air Force
F-15K from South Korean Air Force
KC-135R

Tanker support came from the 319th ARW at MacDill Air Force base
Local stuff
Specials and visitors
Some moon shoots

Hereby I want to thank the public affairs office of Nellis AFB and in particular First Lieutenat Ken Lustig, for the opportunity to shoot this Red Flag.

By François van Riel