What are Red Flag Exercises by the United States Air Force?
Red Flag exercises are training missions run by the United States Air Force from Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. Created in 1975 as a response to poor fighter pilot performance during the Vietnam War in comparisons to prior conflicts, Red Flag provides the Air Force with a training program designed to give pilots real world experience in air to air combat, ground attack, electronic warfare and aerial refueling. The actual bombing and air-to-air training takes place in the skies over Rachel, Nevada near Area 51. Some of it is visible to plane spotters from public land in the area, though usually at a distance. Colonel Richard “Moody” Suter became the driving force behind the implementation of the Red Flag training concept. On 1 March 1976 the 4440th Tactical Fighter Training Group (Red Flag) was chartered with Col P.J. White as the first commander, Lt. Col Marty Mahrt as vice commander, and Lt. Col David Burner as Director of Operations. This small crew under Col White’s lea
