RED FLAG - Alaska air exercise kicks off

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – The first 2009 fiscal year iteration of Pacific Air Forces’ premier air combat exercise, RED FLAG-Alaska, kicks off Oct. 6 and runs through Oct. 17. RF-A 09-1 will welcome additional personnel from the United States. Participating aircraft include F-16s, KC-10s, KC-135s, E-3s, F-15s, F-22As, and B-52s.

This RED FLAG-Alaska provides U.S. pilots, aircrews and operational support personnel the opportunity to train and improve their air combat skills in preparation for a myriad of worldwide contingencies.

The exercises are conducted on the Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the largest training range in America at more than 65,000 square miles, with air operations flown out of Eielson AFB and Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska.

To prepare our neighboring communities, increased flying with potentially more noise is expected during weekdays from 10 to 11 a.m. and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. There is no exercise flying on weekends. Anyone who feels the increased noise is affecting them can call Public Affairs at (907) 377-2116.

The tentative exercise schedule for the 2009 RF-A season is as follows:
RED FLAG-Alaska 09-2: April 16-May 1
RED FLAG-Alaska 09-3: July 23-Aug 7

For the latest news on RED FLAG-Alaska, visit http://www.eielson.af.mil/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY PHONE AT (907) 377-2116 OR BY E-MAIL AT: 354fw.pa@eielson.af.mil .