Blue Flag (Israeli Air Force exercise)

Last updated
American, Italian and Israeli pilots at Blue Flag 2013 Blue Flag 2013. Ovda air base. November 25, 2013 (11067153264).jpg
American, Italian and Israeli pilots at Blue Flag 2013

Blue Flag is an international military aviation exercise held by the Israeli Air Force (IAF). It first took place in November 2013 at Ovda Airbase in Israel. The exercise, which included the participation of several foreign air forces, is aimed at expanding international cooperation. Plans on making "Blue Flag" a biennial event [1] were realised in 2015 with another "Blue Flag" exercise in which the air forces of the United States, Greece and Poland also participated. The goal of the Blue Flag training exercise is to simulate extreme combat scenarios and coalition flights as realistically as possible.

In 2017 the exercise hosted air forces from the United States of America, Poland, Italy and Greece – and for the first time India, France and Germany participated as well. [2]

The Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom took part in Blue Flag 2021, which was the first time they have openly trained in Israeli airspace. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurofighter Typhoon</span> 1994 multi-role combat aircraft family by Eurofighter

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo that conducts the majority of the project through a joint holding company, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, representing the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, manages the project and is the prime customer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli Air Force</span> Aerial service branch of the Israel Defense Forces

The Israeli Air Force operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. As of April 2022, Aluf Tomer Bar has been serving as the Air Force commander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IAI Kfir</span> Israeli multirole combat aircraft

The Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir is an Israeli all-weather multirole combat aircraft based on the French Dassault Mirage 5, with Israeli avionics and an Israeli-built version of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Air Force</span> Air warfare branch of the German military

The German Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of West Germany. After the reunification of West and East Germany in 1990, it integrated parts of the air force of the former German Democratic Republic, which itself had been founded in 1956 as part of the National People's Army. There is no organizational continuity between the current German Air Force and the former Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht founded in 1935, which was completely disbanded in 1945/46 after World War II. The term Luftwaffe that is used for both the historic and the current German air force is the German-language generic designation of any air force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exercise Red Flag</span> Military exercise

Exercise Red Flag is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise held several times a year by the United States Air Force. It aims to offer realistic air-combat training for military pilots and other flight crew members from the United States and allied countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovda Airport</span> Military airport in Israel

Ovda Airport was the former civilian part of the Ovda Israeli Air Force Base in the Uvda region of southern Israel, about 40 km (25 mi) north of Eilat. It was the country's second international airport. Ovda was originally built and opened as a military airbase in 1981 and was joint-used as a civilian airport a year later but ceased handling civilian flights on 31 March 2019 thanks to the opening of Ramon Airport, which is located much closer to the city of Eilat than Ovda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hatzor Airbase</span>

Hatzor Airbase, also titled Kanaf 4 is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base, located in central Israel near kibbutz Hatzor after which it is named. However, there have been no fighter jets stationed there since 2021, only patrol aircraft, UAVs and defense missiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramat David Airbase</span> Air base in Israel

Ramat David Airbase is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base located 20 km southeast of Haifa in the Northern District of Israel, close to kibbutz Ramat David in the Jezreel Valley. It is the northernmost IAF base in Israel with fighter jets, UAVs and helicopters based on it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tel Nof Airbase</span> Main base of the Israeli Air Force

Tel Nof Airbase, also known as Air Force Base 8, is the main base of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) and houses its headquarter. It is located 5 km south of Rehovot, Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovda Airbase</span> Israeli Air Force Base

Ovda Airbase is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base, located in the very south of Israel, around 40 kilometers north of Eilat, in a large plain of the southern Negev desert. It has two runways with lengths of 3,000 and 2,600 meters and a heliport. There are currently (2023) no operational fighter jets or helicopters stationed there, but the so-called Aggressor Squadron for pilot training. The international military aviation exercise Blue Flag takes place there every two years.

Exercise Pitch Black is a biennial warfare exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The exercise is normally held in Northern Australia, primarily at RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal. The aim of the exercise is to practice Offensive Counter Air (OCA) and Defensive Counter Air (DCA) combat, in a simulated war environment. It traditionally consists of a 'red team' and a 'blue team' based at separate locations, with one attacking the other. As inferred from the name of the exercise, it will take place in low light conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greece–Israel relations</span> Bilateral relations

Greece–Israel relations are the bilateral relationship between the Hellenic Republic and the State of Israel. Relations between the two countries were strained during the late 20th century, as Greece supported and maintained strong relations with Palestine. The Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs defines this as evident of the "longstanding and consistent position of our country on the Palestinian Question. However, since 2008 relations with Israel have thawed, and have been among the strongest in the Eastern Mediterranean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel–Italy relations</span> Bilateral relations

Israel–Italy relations are the foreign relations between the State of Israel and the Italian Republic. Italy recognized Israel on 8 February 1949, after the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948. Italy has an embassy in Tel Aviv, two consulate-generals in West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem, and 4 honorary consulates in Beersheba, Eilat, Haifa and Nazareth. The Italian ambassador in Israel since 2021 is Sergio Barbanti. Israel has an embassy in Rome and the current Israeli Ambassador is Dror Eydar. Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Anatolian Eagle is an air force exercise hosted by the Turkish Air Force and held at 3rd Main Jet Base at Konya, Turkey. There are both national and international exercises held, the international exercises usually involving air arms of the United States, other NATO forces, and Asian countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">115 Squadron (Israel)</span> Military unit

115 Squadron, also known as the Flying Dragon or Red Squadron, is the Israeli Air Force's aggressor squadron. Based at Ovda, it is the sole IAF squadron to operate fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and ground-based assets.

RAFO Thumrait airbase is a military airport located near Thumrait, a town in Dhofar Governorate, Oman. The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) are the operators of RAFO Thumrait, and is home to two RAFO squadrons of F16s. The United States Air Force (USAF) is a current tenant, and the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) also use RAFO Thumrait during regular cross-nation military exercises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victory marking</span> Decoration applied to military aircraft

A victory marking is a symbol applied in stencil or decal to the side of a military aircraft to denote an aerial victory achieved by the aircraft's pilot or crew. The use of victory markings originated during World War I, burgeoned during World War II and frequently took the form of the roundel or national flag of the nationality of the aircraft defeated.

Exercise Frisian Flag Is a major NATO multinational aerial exercise, held annually at Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands, over the North Sea and in the skies above the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ingo Gerhartz</span> German air force lieutenant general

Ingo Gerhartz is a German Air Force lieutenant general. He has been serving as the Inspector of the Air Force since 2018.

References

  1. Gordon, Dwayne (3 December 2013). "AF participates in first Israeli Blue Flag exercise". United States Air Force . Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  2. "IAF Launched Exercise Blue Flag 2017 | Israel Defense".
  3. Pfeffer, Anshel (2021-10-25). "Hundreds of Pilots, Zero Dogfights: Inside Israel's 'Social Club' Exercise". Haaretz. Retrieved 2021-10-30.