The third phase of Red Flag-Alaska 2014 kicked off Aug. 7, bringing an increase in activity on and around Eielson AFB, Alaska. The air base put out a notice, advising residents that they might see and hear increased flying activity during the exercise, which runs through Aug. 22. Red Flag-Alaska is a Pacific Air Forces annual exercise that “provides US and allied pilots, aircrews, and operational support personnel the opportunity to train and improve their air combat skills in preparation for a myriad of worldwide contingencies,” the notice said. The exercise utilizes the 65,000-square-mile Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the largest training range in America, and special use airspace across the state. Aircraft will operate out of Eielson, which is near Fairbanks, and JB Elmendorf-Richardson, outside of Anchorage. The two earlier phases of RF-A were conducted in May and in June. The final phase is scheduled for Oct. 2-17. Flying units from the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, and from allied nations in the Pacific theater may participate in RF-A.
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. 14.
