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Image Gallery: February 2010

24 February 2010
Red Flag

Red Flag 10-03 gets off to a successful start, with both air and ground crews operating with our US and UK counterparts for the first mission of the exercise.

Royal Australian Air Force aircraft and personnel have deployed to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to participate in the United States Air Force’s most advanced international air combat training activity, Exercise Red Flag, which commenced on Sunday 21 February.

RAAF Williamtown's 77 Squadron are leading the exercise, with eight F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet aircraft and approximately 160 Air Force personnel from across Australia deployed to Exercise Red Flag to conduct complex air combat missions at one of the world’s best training facilities.

Exercise Red Flag involves a series of air combat scenarios that test operational air and ground crews to the highest level. The large scale exercise involves experienced aircrews from different air forces flying Strike, Electronic Warfare, Tactical Transport, Fighter Escort, Airborne Warning and Control and Air to Air refuelling aircraft against dedicated defensive fighter aircraft and an extensive range of simulated Surface to Air threats.

Australian forces have joined the US and UK for the two week multinational exercise that concludes on 5 March.

The exercise is conducted on the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test and Training Range, north of Las Vegas. Red Flag is one of a series of advanced training programs administered by the U.S. Air Force Warfare Centre and Nellis, through the 414th Combat Training Squadron.

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Ground crews keep an eye on a 77SQN FA18 as it makes its way to the Nellis runway for the first mission on Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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A 77 SQN FA18 taxies out for the first sortie of Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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Corporal Bradley Conliffe from 77SQN keeps an eye on his aircraft during the first launch for Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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Flying Officer Daniel Truitt conducts a pre flight inspection on his aircraft prior to his first mission in Nellis for Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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Flying Officer Daniel Truitt conducts a pre flight inspection on his aircraft prior to his first mission in Nellis for Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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Flying Officer Daniel Truitt walks to his FA18 for his first mission at Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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Flying Officer Adam Grinyer straps into his FA18 with the assistance of a ground technician from 77SQN.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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Flying Officer Adam Grinyer from 77SQN prepares to go flying on the first mission of Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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77SQN Executive Officer Squadron Leader Grant Burr walks to his aircraft to lead the first Australian mission on Ex Red Flag.

(Date taken: 22 February 2010)
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