RAMSTEIN, Germany –Allied Air Command is getting ready to launch the first NATO Flag exercise from in Greece from September 30 to October 11, 2024. Bringing together more than 140 Allied aircraft from 13 Allies, the multinational live exercise Ramstein Flag will offer high-end training opportunities in a complex realistic operational environment.
For the first time, the Alliance, through Allied Air Command, applies the principles of the U.S.-established Flag exercise series to a NATO live-fly exercise
For the first time, the Alliance, through Allied Air Command, applies the principles of the U.S.-established Flag exercise series to a NATO live-fly exercise. One focus of Ramstein Flag 2024 will be on testing counter-anti-access area denial (A2AD) tactics. These may be needed when NATO pilots have to pair the deterrent value of an air policing sortie with the tactical value of real-world practice.
U.S. Air Force F-15E sitting in a ramp at Nellis Air Force Base during a 2024 Red Flag exercise; the base has been the birthplace of the "train as you fight" concept in 1975.
Archive photo by William Lewis.
One of the characteristics of a Red Flag exercise is a realistic simulation of enemy or red aircraft to provide lifelike training in a complex contested environment. Archive photo by Kevin J Gruenwald.
Ramstein Flag in Greece will se several waves a day of Allied fighter and support aircraft taking off for composite air operations in a realistic warfighting environment. Archive photo courtesy Italian Air Force.
Lorem Allied surface-based air and missile defence systems Naval units, and ground jammers will complicate the setting for friendly air forces during exercise Ramstein Flag. Archive photo by Michael Linennen.
In 1975, the U.S. Air Force began holding Flag series exercises after identifying a need to provide realistic training against a realistic threat to test hardware and tactics. Exercise Red Flag was established at Nellis Air Force Base. It was a trailblazer for a completely new type of fighter jet training to help the U.S. Air Force to “train as you fight”. A concept that has since been adopted by other Allied forces in their exercises and training.
In general, Flag exercises are air combat exercises conducted with multiple scenarios designed to provide realistic combat settings. Based on traditional designations of red ie. enemy and blue ie. friendly, aerial systems simulate Air Defence assets that engage offensive or adversary assets.
A Flag exercise involves participants from the U.S. and allied air forces and provides them with lifelike training in a complex, contested environment. The exercise aims at offering pilots and weapon systems officers the opportunity to fly ten realistically simulated combat missions in a safe training environment with measurable results improving survivability and skills. International examples of Flag Series exercises are Israel-led exercise Blue Flag or Canada-led exercise Maple Flag.
NATO AIRCOM has now adopted the Flag principle for its main training event – the first edition is taking place out of Greece with participation of more than 140 fighter and enabler aircraft from 13 Allies. As geopolitical tensions continue to evolve, so too must NATO exercise design. Ramstein Flag signifies the future of NATO exercises, focusing on current and future threats,” said General James B. Hecker Commander Allied Air Command.
Ramstein Flag also supports General Hecker’s priority of information sharing e.g. of combat data from satellite imagery to targeting information. The participating F-35 fifth generation fighters will play an important role in this context.
“There’s things that we could share when it comes to A2/AD that would make us more integrated … and we could do the mission better and fight better … as a team,” Hecker said in an interview.