IAF takes part in US-led Red Flag-Alaska for multi-nation military drills

The Indian Air Force on Thursday joined a 16-day multi-nation mega military exercise in Alaska in the US that is designed to provide realistic training to participating forces in a simulated combat environment.

The IAF deployed Rafale fighter jets for the 'Red Flag Alaska' exercise from May 30 to June 14. Approximately 3100 service members are expected to fly, maintain and support more than 100 aircraft during the exercise, the US's Pacific Air Forces said.

"An #IAF contingent arrived today at the Eielson AF Base of @usairforce, at Alaska, USA, to participate in the upcoming edition of the multinational exercise Red Flag 24," the IAF said on X.

"Ably supported by its IL-78 air to air refuellers and the C-17 transport aircraft, the IAF Rafale fighters took a transatlantic flight with staging halts at Greece and Portugal," it said.
 

The Pacific Air Forces said Red Flag-Alaska is designed to provide realistic training in a simulated combat environment enabling joint combined forces to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures while improving interoperability with fellow service members.

It said Red Flag-Alaska training spans from individual skills to complex, large-scale joint engagements.

"The exercises can be adapted to integrate various forces into a realistic threat environment using the more than 77,000 square miles of airspace in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, which is the largest combat training range in the world," it said in a statement.