More than 1,500 personnel and over 70 aircraft from the United States, Japan, South Korea and Belgium participated in the event. The focus was on improving interoperability, refining combat tactics and reinforcing regional readiness.
“Forces from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Air Force and the Belgian Special Forces joined U.S. forces on the flightline and in the air, conducting integrated missions across the Alaska range,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Derrick Franck, deployed forces commander for RFA 25-2. “We are here to train in peace time with our Korean and Japanese [allies] and accomplish training objectives that show the dominance of air power in the 21st century.”
The joint missions underscored the strength of established alliances and a collective commitment to Indo-Pacific security. “The heart of Red Flag today is that mission planning function of how we work together with multiple, different diverse background platforms and capabilities,” Franck added.
Franck also highlighted the operational benefits of such exercises in preparing forces for real-world scenarios. “The best part of Red Flag is that should we have to fight tonight or take it north, we have already learned the lessons of how the ROKAF and JASDF operate and we know how to put that all together in a time of crisis,” he said.
Celebrating its 50th year, Red Flag-Alaska remains a cornerstone of coalition airpower training. The exercise is designed to deliver realistic, high-end scenarios for preparing aircrews and support personnel for expeditionary missions in contested environments.
The 77,000 square miles of training airspace in the JPARC provide a unique setting for such advanced exercises. “The Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex is a national treasure,” said Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing. “It is a tremendous air space that allows our air crew to execute their advanced tactics, techniques and procedures against a credible surface-to-air and air-to-air adversary.”
Source: U.S. Air Force.
