MILAVIA > Specials > Red Flag 2006-1 Last updated: 12 August 2017
MILAVIA Military Aviation Specials

Exercise Report : Red Flag 2006-1

RED FLAG 2006-1

Glenn E. Bloore, GEB Photography, visited the first 2006 edition of the Red Flag exercise and provided these great photos.

The Red Flag exercises, held periodically at the Nellis Air Force Base since 1975, are very realistic aerial war games. The purpose is to train pilots from the U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military branches, NATO and other allied countries for real combat situations. It is conducted on the vast bombing and gunnery ranges at Nellis AFB, northwest of Las Vegas. The area covers an area of 60 nautical miles by 100 nautical miles, allowing Red Flag to be on a very large scale.

In a typical Red Flag exercise, Blue Forces (friendly) engage Red Forces (hostile) in combat situations. Blue Forces are made up of units from ACC, Air Mobility Command (AMC), US Air Force Europe, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Air National Guard (ANG), United States Air Force Reserves (USAFR), Army, Navy, Marine Corps and allied air forces.
Red Forces are composed of Red Flag's Adversary Tactics Division flying the F-16 and F-15 and provides air threats through the emulation of enemy tactics. They are often augmented by other U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps units.

The first Red Flag held this year saw the allied participation of Royal Air Force's Tornado GR.4s and Royal Australian Air Force F-111s and F/A-18 Hornets. Note the carriage of the range instrumentation pods, practise ammunitions, missiles and jammers by the participating aircraft. In addition to the Red Flag aircraft, there are some shots of visitors and the Thunderbirds, which are based at Nellis AFB.

USAF E-3 Sentry take-off
USAF E-3 Sentry AWACS
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
North American Airlines Boeing 767-300ER
USAF B-2A Spirit of Oklahoma
USAF B-2A Spirit of Oklahoma
USAF B-2A Spirit of Oklahoma
USAF B-2A Spirit of Kittyhawk
USAF B-2A Spirit of Kittyhawk
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-117A Nighthawk
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-16C aggressor close-up
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-15C Eagle aggressor
USAF F-15C Eagle aggressor
USAF F-117A Nighthawk
USAF F-117A Nighthawk
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF A-10A Thunderbolt II
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-15C Eagle formation ready for take-off
USAF F-15C Eagle
USAF F-15C Eagle
USAF F-15C Eagle
USAF F-15C Eagle
USAF F-117A Nighthawk
USAF A-10A Thunderbolt II
USAF A-10A Thunderbolt II
USAF Thunderbirds F-16B Fighting Falcon
USAF Thunderbirds F-16B Fighting Falcon
USAF Thunderbirds F-16A Fighting Falcon
USAF Thunderbirds F-16A Fighting Falcon
USAF Thunderbirds F-16A Fighting Falcon
USAF Thunderbirds F-16A Fighting Falcon
USAFE F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAFE F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAFE F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
RAF Tornado GR.4A
RAF Tornado GR.4A
RAF Tornado GR.4
RAF Tornado GR.4
RAF Tornado GR.4
USN EA-6B Prowler
USN EA-6B Prowler
USN EA-6B Prowlers
RAAF F-111 Aardvark
RAAF F-111 Aardvark
RAAF F-111 Aardvark
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAFE A-10 Thunderbolt II
USAFE A-10 Thunderbolt II
USAFE F-16C Fighting Falcon
RAAF F/A-18A Hornet
RAAF F/A-18A Hornet
RAAF F/A-18A Hornet
RAAF F/A-18A Hornet
USMC F/A-18D Hornet
USMC F/A-18D Hornet
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon
USAF F-15C Eagle aggressor
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon aggressor
USAFE A-10A Thunderbolt II
USAF E-3 Sentry landing
USAF B-2A Spirit landing


Photos by Glenn E. Bloore, GEB Photography

First Published: 16 April 2006
Last Revised: 7 March 2013