DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Coordination and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6265 3343, Fax: 02 62656946
CPA 082/08
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
AIR FORCE PERSONNEL DEPLOY TO ALASKA FOR
EXERCISE RED FLAG
Royal Australian Air Force aircraft and personnel have arrived at Eielson Air Force
Base, Alaska, to participate in the United States Air Force’s most advanced
international air combat training activity: Exercise Red Flag, which commences on
Thursday, 3 April.
Eight F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet aircraft and 150 Air Force personnel from RAAF
Tindal and RAAF Williamtown have deployed to Exercise Red Flag to conduct
complex air combat missions at one of the world’s best training facilities.
Exercise Red Flag will be conducted over 10 days in the sub-zero conditions of
Alaska. The activity is a multi-national exercise including the US, UK and Canada.
Commander Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Neil Hart, has highlighted the value
of Air Force’s participation in the exercise.
“Exercise Red Flag involves a series of air combat scenarios that test operational air
and ground crews to the highest level, short of actual combat. It provides the ultimate
environment in which our Air Force personnel can showcase their extraordinary
abilities in a deployed scenario,” Air Commodore Hart said.
“Our quality Air Force people are the key to our air combat capability.
They have
earned international respect over the years and we expect they’ll perform brilliantly in
this exercise, too.”
A C-17 aircraft from RAAF Base Amberley has made a significant contribution to
Exercise Red Flag, performing the necessary task of transporting personnel and
equipment to and from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
