RED FLAG intelligence

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rachelle Coleman
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  With RED FLAG- Alaska in full swing, the 354th Operations Group intelligence flight has switched gears to support RED FLAG-Alaska 10-2.

The intelligence flight act as referees during the exercise and is responsible for the tailoring the exercise blueprint to the participants needs - letting them know what to expect from the "red forces", locally known as the 18th Aggressor Squadron.

"We help create intel products for the blue players (visiting participants). We create the threat picture and let them know what the enemy's capabilities are. We tell them what to expect out of aircraft and surface-to-air missiles, as well as electronic warfare," said 2nd Lt. Ashleigh Aanerud, Deputy Chief of Intel Operations for RED FLAG-Alaska, 354th Operations Group.

Airmen work with all exercise participants, ensuring they each have a productive training experience.

"There's a lot of preparation that goes into RED FLAG exercises. A few months out we have a conference where each base sends representatives. At the conference, the intelligence Airmen are responsible for figuring out what the visiting units want to learn and tailor the exercise to fit their needs," said Lt. Aanerud.

After months of preparation, the flight puts their plans and updated products into motion.
"We go from planning and updating products to training people. Our priorities change from our 'to do lists' to whoever is at the door needing help," she said.

As for the deployed intel members, the situation is a little different. They act as they would at a lead wing location during a deployment, providing the infrastructure for all outlying units.

"This exercise is the basics of how intel would work in a deployed location. It's an exercise to practice lead wing responsibilities in a deployed environment," said Capt. Josh Lyons, RF-A Intel Chief for the deployed forces, from Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

There are two sections for the deployed forces intelligence flight; the mission planning cell and the combat intelligence cell.

The CIC is the focal point for message traffic, anything from new threats and tactics to questions from the pilots goes to this cell.

The MPC helps crew plan their missions, identifies where the threats are and how they're going to react.

"You can never really be prepared for these exercises; they are so different each time. Although RED FLAG may not be exactly like a deployment, it allows you to get more experience and familiarize yourself with the different squadrons," said Capt. Lyons.

"Getting to work with lots of different people and working with units from around the world and foreign participants and learning their mission," is the best part of the exercise according to Lt. Aanerud. "Both sides learn, we train but we also learn how other squadrons operate."

Even when RED FLAG ends, the job continues for an intelligence analyist.

"As soon as each season ends, we start all over. We're always working to make the next RED FLAG better," said Lt. Aanerud.