MILAVIA > Specials > Red Flag 19-2 - Nellis AFB, NV Last updated: 31 August 2019
MILAVIA Military Aviation Specials

Exercise Report : Red Flag 19-2 - Nellis AFB, NV

Exercise RED FLAG 19-2

Dave O'Brien contributed his photo report of the second Red Flag exercise of 2019 at Nellis AFB, Nevada. All photos by author.

RED FLAG is the U.S. Air Force’s premier air combat training exercise, which brings units from all US services and allied nations to Nellis AFB near Las Vegas, Nevada, to safely train in large-scale air combat scenarios. A typical RED FLAG involves nearly every aircraft type in the U.S. inventory, from fighters and bombers such as the F-15C/D, F-15E, F-22A, F-35A, F-16C/D, A-10C, B-1B, B-2A, B-52H, electric warfare planes EC-130H and EA-18G, airlift support C-130J and C-17A, Search and Rescue assets such as the HH-60G HC-130J, refueling aircraft KC-130, KC-135, KC-10, and Command and Control platforms E-3, E-6, E-8, and E-2. The Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Force Reserves (AFRES) play a big part in RED FLAG exercises. Nellis AFB hosts a dedicated Aggressor squadron (F-16) of the 57th Adversary Tactics Group, 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron (F-16), and the mixed fleets of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron and USAF Weapons School (A-10,F-15,F-16,F-35) and the Draken International company providing adversary training (A-4K, L-159E). RED FLAG exercises are held three times a year, usually in February, March and July.

RED FLAG 19-2 was held from March 8th to March 22nd. The participants were:

  • 1 Sqn F-16E/F Desert Falcons, UAE
  • 6/29 Sqn F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) Eagle, Saudi Arabia
  • 16th ACCS E-8C Joint STARS, Robins AFB
  • 62d FS F-35A Lightning II, Luke AFB
  • 34th BS B-1B Lancer, Ellsworth AFB (Cancelled)
  • 55th RQS HH-60G Pave Hawk, Davis-Monthan AFB
  • 71st RQS HC-130J Combat King II, Moody AFB
  • 10 Wing F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons, Belgium
  • 322 Sqn F-16AM/F-16BM Fighting Falcons, Netherlands
  • 334 Sqn KDC-10A, Netherlands
  • 336th FS F-15E Strike Eagle, Seymour Johnson AFB
  • 428th FS F-15SG (Singapore) Eagle, Singapore
  • 964th AACS E-3G Sentry, Tinker AFB
  • VAQ-134 EA-18G Growler, NAS Whidbey Island
  • Escuadrón de Transporte 811 KC-767 Jupiter, Colombia
  • 122nd FS F-15C Eagle, LA ANG
  • 194th FS F-15C Eagle, CA ANG

The Belgian Air Force deployed F-16s from 10 Wing at Kleine Brogel. The participants from the Netherlands, UAE, and Singapore used aircraft from their Training Units based in the U.S. while the Saudis participated with the recently handed over F-15SA jets that were still to be flown to Saudi Arabia.

The photos were taken from outside Nellis AFB during three days, March 11, 12, and 15. The runways are 21L/21R which takes off over the city, and 3L/3R which takes off towards the racetrack. Typically, aircraft would launch between 12pm – 2pm. When standing along the edge of Las Vegas BLVD N, which is along the Raceway, the aircraft will break over you, which they call “flexing” due to the wings of the jets flexing due to the G’s of the pull.

Recoveries can be on either runway as well, depending on wind direction. E. Cheyanne Ave is the road to be at for aircraft landing on RWY 3, just don’t stand along the side of the fence as the Air Force will ask you to cross back over. You would need a lens of 400mm or more for most of the landings for RWY 21, especially if they land on 21L that is further away.

Some of the aircraft photographed were actually participating in the GREEN FLAG close air support exercise and WSINT (Advanced Training in Weapons and Tactics Employment).

F-35A Lightning II 14-5092 / 62nd FS, Luke AFB
F-16 Aggressor from 64th AGRS
F-16E 3037 / Shaheen 1/2 Sqn United Arab Emirates
F-15E Strike Eagle 89-0496 / 335th FS, Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15SG Strike Eagle 05-8371 / 428th FS - RSAF, Mountain Home AFB
F-16AM J-018 / 148th TFTS (training unit for the RNLAF) - AZ ANG, Tucson
F-16BM J-210 / 148th TFTS (training unit for the RNLAF) - AZ ANG, Tucson
F-16AM J-019 / 148th TFTS (training unit for the RNLAF) - AZ ANG, Tucson
A-10C 79-0169 / 422nd TES - Nellis AFB
F-16CM 89-2083 / 24th TASS - Hill AFB
A-10C 82-0658 / 422nd TES - Nellis AFB
A-10C 79-0186 / 66th WPS - Nellis AFB
A-10C 79-0186 / 66th WPS - Nellis AFB
A-10C 79-0186 / 66th WPS - Nellis AFB
A-10C 82-0665 / 66th WPS - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 85-1418 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
Belgian Air Force F-16s from 10 Wing - Kleine Brogel, Belgium
F-15E Strike Eagles 4-ship
F-15SA Saudi Arabia
RNLAF F-16 4-ship from 148th TFTS - AZ ANG, Tucson
F-16 Aggressor 86-0272 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 86-0251 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 87-0267 & 84-0236 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 89-0505 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagles 4-ship from 4th FW - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1682 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagles from 4th FW - Seymour Johnson AFB
KC-767 / EscTA 811 - Colombian Air Force
RNLAF 334 Sqn KDC-10 - Eindhoven, The Netherlands
HC-130J Combat King II 13-0790 / 71st RQS - Moody AFB
A-10C 82-0665 / 66th WPS - Nellis AFB
F-16 launching for WSINT
F-16 launching for WSINT
HC-130J Combat King II 13-0790 / 71st RQS - Moody AFB
F-16 Aggressor 84-1244 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 86-0291 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 83-1159 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 87-0313 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 87-0321 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1671 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 89-0505/ 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-16 Aggressor 86-0272 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
EA-18G Growler 505 / VAQ-134 - NAS Whidbey Island
F-16AM J-010 / 148th TFTS (training unit for the RNLAF) - AZ ANG, Tucson
F-16BM J-209 / 148th TFTS (training unit for the RNLAF) - AZ ANG, Tucson
F-15C Eagle 81-0041 - 122nd FS, LA ANG
F-15C Eagle 83-0036 - 122nd FS, LA ANG
F-35A Lightning II 13-5076, 62d FS - Luke AFB
F-15SA 6 Sqn - Saudi Arabia
F-15C Eagle 82-0024 194th FS - Fresno, CA ANG
L-159E ALCA - Draken International
F-16AM FA-110 - 10 Wing, Kleine Brogel, Belgium
F-15E Strike Eagle 87-0101 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-35A Lightning II 14-5092 / 62d FS - Luke AFB
F-35A Lightning II 14-5107 / 62d FS - Luke AFB
F-16E Desert Falcon 3064 / Shaheen 3 Sqn - United Arab Emirates
F-16AM FA-104 - 10 Wing, Kleine Brogel, Belgium
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1676 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1675 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1675 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1688 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-15C Eagle 57th WG - Nellis AFB
F-16AM J-018 & J-209 / 148th TFTS (training unit for the RNLAF) - AZ ANG, Tucson
A-4K Skyhawk - Draken International
EA-18G Growler 505 / VAQ-134 - NAS Whidbey Island
F-15E Strike Eagle 88-1682 / 336th FS - Seymour Johnson AFB
A-4K Skyhawk - Draken International
L-159E ALCA - Draken International
F-16 Aggressor 84-0236 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 84-0236 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16AM FA-110 - 10 Wing, Kleine Brogel, Belgium
F-16 Aggressor 87-0313 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-16 Aggressor 86-0299 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
EA-18G Growler 535 / VAQ-134 - NAS Whidbey Island
F-15E Strike Eagles 336th FS / 4th FW - Seymour Johnson AFB
F-16 Aggressor 83-1159 from 64th AGRS, 57th ATG - Nellis AFB
F-35A Lightning II 13-5080 / 62d FS - Luke AFB
F-16E Desert Falcon 3051 / Shaheen 1/2 Sqn, United Arab Emirates
F-15SA 29 Sqn - Saudi Arabia
F-15SA 29 Sqn - Saudi Arabia
F-35A Lightning II 14-5107 / 62d FS - Luke AFB
F-15E Strike Eagles 88-1675 / 336th FS / 4th FW - Seymour Johnson AFB
KC-767 / EscTA 811 - Colombian Air Force
HC-130J Combat King II 13-0790 / 71st RQS - Moody AFB
F-35A Lightning II 14-5099 / 6th WPS - Nellis AFB
F-35A Lightning II 14-5099 / 6th WPS - Nellis AFB
F-35A Lightning II 15-5168 / 6th WPS - Nellis AFB
F-35A Lightning II 15-5168 / 6th WPS - Nellis AFB


Report and photos by Dave O'Brien ( view portfolio )





First Published: 31 August 2019
Last Modified: 31 August 2019