Red Flag and other Air Exercises in the NTTR


The Red Flag exercise, held more or less regularly at Nellis Air Force Base since 1975, are very realistic aerial war games. The purpose is to give pilots from the U.S., NATO and other allied countries an opportunity to practice and refine their skills for real combat situations. This includes the use of "enemy" hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The exercises with flares and all kinds of aircraft can make a spectacular show, especially at night. There are usually two sorties per day, Monday to Friday: One sortie during daytime and one in the evening or at night.

There are two teams, the good guys (Blue Team) and the aggressors (Red Team). The Red Team is made up of Nellis AFB-based pilots specifically trained for the role as adversary, or aggressor, flying F-15 and F-16 aircraft. During the Cold War they sometimes used actual Russian aircraft, and to this day they use call signs such as MiG and Flanker. The Blue Team consists of the various guest "players", the students, in their respective aircraft. For most Red Flag exercises the Blue Team includes the roles of Escort, Interdiction, SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense), Airlift, Command & Control, Reconnaissance, Refueling and Search & Rescue.

The Red Team sets up on the west side of the Nellis Ranges, in the Tolicha Peak area between Tonopah and Beatty. The Blue Team sets up in the east, over Delamar Lake east of Alamo, which the pilots call Texas Lake because of its shape. The objective for the Blue Team is to neutralize simulated Red Team air defense systems and to hit and destroy targets, mostly in 70's Ranges, south-east of the Tonopah Test Range. Both teams usually meet in the airspace west and north-west of Rachel, where they engage in very realistic aerial dogfights. The southern part of Railroad Valley, and especially the old Cedar Pipeline Ranch is an excellent place to watch the air show.

The most popular viewing spot is close to Rachel, just north of Coyote Summit. By the trash barrels on Hwy. 375 near Coyote Summit take the dirt road that leads south from the highway, and follow it up the hill about 300 yards off the highway. From there you have an excellent view of the planes of the Blue Team coming low through Coyote Summit, as they move in for the attack from Texas Lake. Even better, follow the tracks on the back side of the hill. Park where the tracks end and hike up to the saddle in front of you and from there to the top of the hill to your left. Many of our Red Flag photos were taken from up there.

Other good places to see the Blue Team include the Powerlines Overlook in the mountains behind the Black Mailbox and the Pahroc Summit Pass, which the pilots call Student Gap.

Some Red Flag exercises are U.S. only, while others include coalition forces. The list of foreign countries that have participated in the past includes: Argentinia, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, NATO, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and Venezuela. The exercises usually last two, sometimes three weeks.


Green Flag is an advanced, realistic, and relevant Air to Surface training exercise, preparing joint and coalition warfighters to meet combatant commander requirements across Air, Space, and Cyberspace. It is primarily conducted in conjunction with U.S. Army National Training Center exercises at Fort Irwin, California. It is a Joint exercise administered by the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center and Nellis Air Force Base through the 549th Combat Training Squadron. Source: Nellis AFB


JFEX Joint Forcible Entry Exercise is a U.S. Air Force Weapons School large-scale air mobility exercise in which participants plan and execute a complex air-land operation in a simulated contested battlefield. JFEX participants' ability to synchronize aircraft movements from geographically-separated bases, command large formations of dissimilar aircraft in high threat airspace, and tactically deliver and recover combat forces via air drops and combat landings on an unimproved landing strip. Source: Nellis AFB


Black Flag is an event solely focused on test and tactics development in a realistic, massed force, fully integrated, high threat density environment. Established as the test counterpart to Red Flag, an event designed to train like we fight, Black Flag allows the Air Force to test like we fight. While Red Flag builds readiness, Black flag builds capability. Source: Nellis AFB


Bamboo Eagle is designed to provide advanced training in a disaggregated, multi-domain scenario in order to sustain and strengthen the ability of the joint and coalition force to prevail in conflict when necessary. The eight-day exercise takes place in various locations across the United States as well as designated sea and airspace in the eastern Pacific. Warfighters implement all-domain combat-power generation from multiple basing locations throughout the western part of the U.S., while conducting distributed command and control, agile logistics, and air-to-air refueling. Source: Nellis AFB


U.S. Air Force Weapons School Integration (WSINT) is a series of complex, large-force employment missions that serve as the capstone portion of Weapons School classes, which take place twice a year. WSINT involves the planning and execution of every aspect of air, space and cyber combat operations, with joint force components converging over the Nevada Test and Training Range. Source: Nellis AFB

More information on the various Nellis-based exercises can be found on the Nellis AFB web site.

The following schedule shows the planned dates for upcoming air exercises, and dates for past exercises. For information on participating units (if available) click on "Units". For photos click on "Photos".


ExerciseDatesUnitsAircraftPhotos/Notes
FY 2024
Red Flag 24-307/22/2024 - 08/02/2024UnitsAircraft
WSINT 24A05/28/2024 - 06/12/2024 
Red Flag 24-203/11/2024 - 03/22/2024UnitsAircraftPhotos
Red Flag 24-101/15/2024 - 01/25/2024UnitsAircraftPhotos
JFEX 23B12/09/2023  Not at Keno 
WSINT 23B11/26/2023 - 12/13/2023  
FY 2023
RED FLAG 23-307/17/2023 - 08/04/2023UnitsAircraft
JFEX 23A06/03/2023  Unconfirmed 
WSINT 23A05/16/2023 - 06/07/2023  
RED FLAG 23-203/13/2023 - 03/24/2023UnitsAircraft
RED FLAG 23-101/23/2023 - 02/10/2023UnitsAircraftPhotos
JFEX 22B11/19/2022  
WSINT 22B11/18/2022 - 12/01/2022  
FY 2022
RED FLAG 22-307/09/2022 - 07/29/2022UnitsAircraftPhotos
JFEX 22A06/04/2022Audio clip 326.800MHz
WSINT 22A05/27/2022 - 06/09/2022  
RED FLAG 22-203/07/2022 - 03/18/2022UnitsAircraft 
RED FLAG 22-101/24/2022 - 02/11/2022Units   Aircraft   Photos
JFEX 21B12/04/2021   
WSINT 21B11/26/2021 - 12/08/2021 Photos
FY 2021
RED FLAG 21-307/19/2021 - 08/06/2021Units Photos
JFEX 21A06/05/2021Units  
WSINT 21A05/28/2021 - 06/12/2021  
RED FLAG 21-203/08/2021 - 03/19/2021Units Photos
RED FLAG 21-101/25/2021 - 02/12/2021Units Photos
JFEX 20B12/05/2020Units  
WSINT 20B11/23/2020 - 12/10/2020   
FY 2020
RED FLAG 20-308/03/2020 - 08/14/2020Units  
JFEX 20A06/06/2020   
WSINT 20A05/25/2020 - 06/11/2020   
RED FLAG 20-203/09/2020 - 03/20/2020
2nd week cancelled due to COVID
Units Photos
RED FLAG 20-101/27/2020 - 02/14/2020Units Photos
JFEX 19B12/07/2019   
FY 2019
RED FLAG 19-307/15/2019 - 08/02/2019Units Photos
JFEX 19A06/08/2019   
RED FLAG 19-203/08/2019 - 03/22/2019Units  
RED FLAG 19-101/28/2019 - 02/15/2019Units  
JFEX 18B12/08/2018Units  
FY 2018
RED FLAG 18-307/23/2018 - 08/03/2018Units  
JFEX 18A06/09/2018   
RED FLAG 18-203/09/2018 - 03/23/2018Units Photos
RED FLAG 18-101/26/2018 - 02/16/2018Units  
JFEX 17B12/09/2017   
FY 2017
RED FLAG 17-408/14/2017 - 08/25/2017Units  
RED FLAG 17-307/10/2017 - 07/28/2017Units  
JFEX 17A06/10/2017   
RED FLAG 17-202/27/2017 - 03/10/2017   
RED FLAG 17-101/23/2017 - 02/10/2017Units  
JFEX 16B12/10/2016   
FY 2016
RED FLAG 16-408/15/2016 - 08/26/2016Units Photos
RED FLAG 16-307/11/2016 - 07/29/2016Units  
JFEX 16A06/18/2016   
RED FLAG 16-202/29/2016 - 03/11/2016Units  
RED FLAG 16-101/25/2016 - 02/12/2016Units  
JFEX 15B12/12/2015Units  
FY 2015
RED FLAG 15-408/17/2015 - 08/28/2015Units  
RED FLAG 15-307/13/2015 - 07/31/2015Units  
JFEX 15A06/20/2015   
RED FLAG 15-203/02/2015 - 03/13/2015Units  
RED FLAG 15-101/26/2015 - 02/13/2015Units  
FY 2014
RED FLAG 14-307/14/2014 - 07/25/2014Units  
RED FLAG 14-203/03/2014 - 03/14/2014Units Photos
RED FLAG 14-101/27/2014 - 02/14/2014Units  
FY 2013
RED FLAG 13-4CANCELLED   
RED FLAG 13-302/25/2013 - 03/15/2013Units  
RED FLAG 13-201/21/2013 - 02/01/2013Units Photos
JFEX (MAFEX) Fall 201211/30/2012Units  
RED FLAG 13-1CANCELLED   
FY 2012
JEFX 201208/20/2012 - 08/31/2012   
RED FLAG 12-407/16/2012 - 07/27/2012Units Photos
MAFEX Springs 201205/23/2012Units  
Jaded Thunder 201204/28/2012 - 05/12/2012   
RED FLAG 12-302/27/2012 - 03/16/2012Units  
RED FLAG 12-201/23/2012 - 02/03/2012Units  
RED FLAG 12-1CANCELLED   
FY 2011
RED FLAG 11-4CANCELLED   
RED FLAG 11-302/21/2011 - 03/11/2011Units Photos
RED FLAG 11-201/24/2011 - 02/04/2011Units  
RED FLAG 11-1CANCELLED   
FY 2010
RED FLAG 10-407/19/2010 - 07/30/2010Units  
RED FLAG 10-302/22/2010 - 03/05/2010Units Photos
RED FLAG 10-201/25/2010 - 02/05/2010Units  
RED FLAG 10-110/19/2009 - 10/30/2009Units  
FY 2009
RED FLAG 09-508/24/2009 - 09/04/2009Units Photos
RED FLAG 09-407/13/2009 - 07/24/2009Units  
RED FLAG 09-302/23/2009 - 03/13/2009Units Photos
RED FLAG 09-201/26/2009 - 02/06/2009Units  
RED FLAG 09-110/20/2008 - 10/31/2008Units  
FY 2008
RED FLAG 08-408/11/2008 - 08/22/2008Units Photos
RED FLAG 08-307/21/2008 - 08/01/2008Units  
JEFX 08-3 (#8)04/14/2008 - 04/25/2008   
RED FLAG 08-2.202/04/2008 - 02/15/2008Units Photos
RED FLAG 08-2.101/14/2008 - 01/25/2008Units  
JEFX 08-1 (#7)11/05/2007 - 11/16/2007   
RED FLAG 08-110/22/2007 - 11/02/2007Units Photos
FY 2007
RED FLAG 07-308/18/2007 - 08/31/2007Units Photos
RED FLAG 07-2.202/03/2007 - 02/17/2007Units Photos
RED FLAG 07-2.101/13/2007 - 01/26/2007Units Photos
RED FLAG 07-110/09/2006 - 10/20/2006   
FY 2006
RED FLAG 06-208/05/2006 - 09/02/2006Units  
JEFX 06 (#6)04/17/2006 - 05/05/2006  Photos
RED FLAG 06-101/21/2006 - 02/18/2006Units Photos
FY 2005
RED FLAG 05-4.208/19/2005 - 09/02/2005Units  
RED FLAG 05-4.108/08/2005 - 08/19/2005Units  
RED FLAG 05-3.203/19/2005 - 04/02/2005Units Photos
RED FLAG 05-3.102/26/2005 - 03/12/2005Units Photos
RED FLAG 05-2CANCELLED   
RED FLAG 05-1.210/23/2004 - 11/06/2004Units Photos
RED FLAG 05-1.1   10/10/2004 - 10/23/2004    Units       Photos   


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