JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — RED FLAG-Alaska 26-2 concluded June 12. More than 2100 service members, approximately 75 aircraft and five partner nations were brought together from across the Indo-Pacific and Europe regions to conduct advanced combat training within the largest instrumented air and ground combat training range in the world.
Over the course of the exercise, participating aircrews operated throughout the 120,000 square miles of airspace within the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, executing a wide array of individual and integrated training scenarios that enhanced the operational capabilities of U.S. and coalition forces.
“To come up here against a real simulated air adversary in a complex threat environment has been great,” said Adam Palmer, 40 Squadron squadron leader, Royal New Zealand Air Force. “It’s a massive opportunity and a great place to test that inter-operability piece.”
Members of the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force operated out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, alongside U.S. Air Force and Army service members.
U.S. and coalition airlift forces participated in multiple major training events, including a joint forcible entry operation which rapidly projected combat power into a contested environment. During the operation, multinational aircrews conducted low-altitude maneuvers, visual low-level routes and defensive tactics while delivering airborne forces and equipment to simulated objective areas.
Additional events throughout the exercise included tactical airlift operations, integrated refueling, cargo delivery missions, an integrated intelligence cell and large-force employment scenarios that enabled participants to integrate across multiple mission areas.
More than 300 paratroopers assigned to the 11th Airborne Division conducted airborne operations throughout Alaska, simulating the seizure of an airfield to enable follow-on personnel, equipment and vehicle operations. Participating crews synchronized planning, communications and execution alongside coalition partners while responding to several simulated air and ground threats.
"The relationships built with [U.S.] Air Force crews and allied partners are what make the difference in the first hours of a real contingency," said Lt. Col. Bryson Shipman, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment commander. “The standard we set here is the standard we will be held to when it matters.”
U.S. and partner nations contributed personnel and capabilities to support flying operations, mission planning and sustainment efforts throughout the exercise. These integrated efforts allowed forces to refine tactics, improve mission planning and execution, and strengthen multinational coordination.
“RED FLAG-Alaska helps directly support the peace through strength strategy by improving our combat readiness,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gregory Guiney, assistant director of operations, 354th Operations Group Detachment 1. “We are happy to have executed another iteration of RED FLAG-Alaska, and we cannot thank all of the participants enough.”
Directed by Pacific Air Forces and executed by Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, RED FLAG-Alaska 26-2 integrated joint, coalition and multinational forces into realistic combat scenarios designed to strengthen interoperability, enhance readiness and refine warfighting capabilities in a contested environment.
RED FLAG-Alaska 26-2 reinforces the shared commitment of the U.S. and its allies and partners to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific while ensuring forces remain ready to respond across the spectrum of conflict.