On board an RAF Voyager as Britain and US prepare for war with China | Dispatch

Key Concepts

• Red Flag Exercise: A large-scale, live-action aerial combat training exercise conducted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
• Near-Peer Adversary: A nation with military capabilities comparable to those of the United States and its allies.
• Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR): The process of transferring fuel from a tanker aircraft to another aircraft in flight.
• Red Air: Aggressor pilots simulating enemy forces during training exercises.
• Interoperability: The ability of different military organizations to effectively work together.
• RAF Voyager: A British aerial refueling and transport aircraft.
• F-35B: A multi-role combat aircraft capable of short take-off and vertical landing.
• Eurofighter Typhoon: A multi-role fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other European nations.

Red Flag 26: Training for Future Warfare

The video documents participation in Red Flag 26, the world’s largest air exercise, taking place at Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. The exercise involves hundreds of troops, aircraft, and personnel from the UK, US, and Australia, focused on preparing for potential conflicts with “near-peer adversaries.” The primary objective is to simulate realistic combat scenarios and enhance readiness for future warfare.

Air-to-Air Refueling & Mission Support

A significant portion of the footage centers on the role of the RAF Voyager, a British aerial refueling aircraft. The Voyager’s crew details their participation in simulating air-to-air refueling tasks, specifically supporting both “escort” and “strike” packages during a mission against a simulated near-peer adversary. They refueled American F-35Bs and British Eurofighter Typhoons, highlighting the importance of AAR in extending the range and endurance of fighter aircraft. The crew emphasized the necessity of training against advanced fighter aircraft possessed by potential adversaries to ensure combat survivability. Specifically, they stated they were simulating refueling for a mission “against a nearpeer adversary,” noting that “a lot of nations these days have got very advanced fighters.”

Adversary Tactics & Realistic Training

The exercise utilizes highly skilled US Air Force pilots acting as “Red Air,” simulating enemy forces. These adversary professionals are capable of replicating the tactics and capabilities of a wide range of potential threats. As one pilot stated, the adversary professional is “good across the entire gamut of threats” and can “pretend to be them, no matter who it is.” This emphasis on realistic opposition is crucial, as the training is described as “not easy mode.” The value of the training area itself is highlighted as “pretty much the best in the world that we can get.”

Coalition Interoperability & Learning

The video underscores the importance of coalition interoperability. A US pilot explicitly states the value of working with British and Australian forces, noting that their approaches are “sometimes a little bit different than us,” providing “an excellent opportunity for us to learn from them, work on that interoperability, building trust, and just practice like we'd fight with our coalition partners.” The Eurofighter Typhoon’s capabilities, particularly its ability to achieve high altitude and speed, are specifically praised. The pilot working with Typhoons “two weeks ago as Red Air” noted their “ability to get high and fast is an awesome capability.”

Typhoon Performance & Exercise Evaluation

The RAF Voyager crew observed Typhoons consistently utilizing their refueling services, taking on “considerable amount of fuel” and engaging with American counterparts. The ultimate assessment of the exercise’s success, however, will be determined during the debriefing process, where the results of the simulated engagements will be analyzed to determine which aircraft “survived” the exercise.

Conclusion

Red Flag 26 serves as a critical training environment for allied forces, focusing on preparing for potential conflicts with near-peer adversaries. The exercise emphasizes realistic combat scenarios, the importance of air-to-air refueling, coalition interoperability, and the value of learning from diverse tactical approaches. The ultimate goal is to enhance readiness and ensure the ability to effectively operate and survive in a complex and challenging future battlefield.