Red Flag ‘77 - 01

Exercise Red Flag is an advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, USA, the purpose of which is to train pilots and other flight crew members for real air combat situations. This includes the use of ‘enemy’ hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the adjacent Nevada Test and Training Range.

The series of 2-week exercises began in 1975, as a result of the unacceptable performance of US Air Force fighter pilots and Weapon Systems Officers in Air Combat Manoeuvering during the Vietnam War in comparison to previous wars. Air combat over North Vietnam between 1965 and 1973 led to an overall exchange ratio (ratio of enemy aircraft shot down to the number of own aircraft lost to enemy fighters) of 2.2:1 (for a period of time in June and July 1972 during Operation Linebacker the ratio was less than 1:1).

Among the several factors resulting in this disparity was a lack of realistic Air Combat training. USAF pilots and WSOs of the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s were not versed in the core values and basics of Air Combat Manoeuvring due to the belief that Beyond Visual Range missile engagements and equipment made ‘close-in’ manoeuvring in air combat obsolete. Analysis also showed that a pilot's chances of survival in combat dramatically increased after he had completed 10 combat missions. As a result, Red Flag was created in 1975 to offer USAF pilots and Weapon Systems Officers the opportunity to fly 10 realistically simulated combat missions in a safe training environment with measurable results.

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EXERCISE RED FLAG – 45 YEARS ON

3 Aug 2022 marked the 45th Anniversary of the first participation in Exercise RED FLAG by a RAF Squadron and of course, 208 was that Squadron.

The Naval Eight / 208 Squadron Association is indebted to Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork, from whose book ‘Buccaneer Boys’ the majority of this article comprising David Wilby’s recollections of the Squadron’s first deployment to RED FLAG is taken. Details of the book, which is available from Grub Street Publishing via all major booksellers, may be found at this link: