Kiwi Herc flies home from Alaska
A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules has successfully taken part in the United States Air Force-led Exercise Red Flag, where several air forces had their combat support skills tested in the Alaskan environment.
CAPTION: A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Super Hercules takes off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, during Exercise Red Flag-Alaska 26-2. US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Owen Daives.
The transport aircraft operated by No. 40 Squadron at RNZAF Base Auckland was among 85 aircraft involved in the multi-national exercise, which is designed to improve aircrew combat readiness.
Red Flag, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, provides realistic training in a combined air and ground threat environment, including tasks with requirements such as threat evasion, airdropping of land-combat personnel, landing on unprepared airstrips and fighter escort co-ordination.
Alongside New Zealand’s C-130J Hercules were fighter aircraft from various United States units, as well as the Republic of Singapore Air Force, tankers, command and control and transport aircraft including C-130Js from the USAF’s No 36 Airlift Squadron based in Yokota, Japan, and aircraft from the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
RNZAF detachment commander Squadron Leader Adam Palmer said the exercise was highly successful.
“The benefit of operating the C-130J is that we can seamlessly integrate into a large coalition force, as was demonstrated during the Joint Forceable Entry Operation supporting the 11th Airborne Division,” Squadron Leader Palmer said.
“The relationships built with partners at Red Flag will enable us to successfully integrate during operational deployments.
“To operate with our partners in a high-end, complex threat environment, against a simulated near-peer adversary, ensures our C-130J crews are ready to respond to a wide range of events at home and abroad.”
He said New Zealand’s participation in Exercise Red Flag was also a significant milestone for the C-130J capability.
“We have taken part in earlier iterations of this exercise with the C-130H, but this was the first time our C-130J had attended.
“This allowed No. 40 Squadron to operate aircraft self-protection systems against simulated threats, and tactical datalinks within a coalition environment.”
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