IMAGE: An Israeli F-35I takes off from Uvda airbase during Blue Flag 2019
Israel, the United States and several NATO states held a large-scale military drill “Blue Flag 2019” in Israel. The drill took place on November 3-14 at the Uvda Air Force base north of Eilat.
The Blue Flag 2019 involved five countries, 70 aircraft, including F-35I, and approximately 1,000 participants, the Israeli military reported (source):
The countries which arrived to train are Germany, with the Eurofighter Typhoon; Italy with the F-35, Eurofighters and Gulfstream G-550; and Greece and the United States with the F-16. The Israeli participants include the “Baz” (F-15), the “Sufa” (F-16I) and the “Adir”.
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The storyline guiding the exercise was based on two fictional neighboring countries, one blue and the other red. The scenarios included large aircraft formations, including fighter jets, RPAVs (Remotely Piloted Aerial Vehicles), transport aircraft and helicopters.
The blue force’s mission during the first week of the exercise was protecting Israel’s skies against various enemy threats. “Sky defense isn’t common in NATO countries”, explained Lt. Col. M’, Commander of the 133rd (“Knights of the Twin Tail”) Squadron.
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During the second week, the blue forces took off to attack targets in red force territory. “The blue forces have to utilize everything at their platforms’ disposal in order to perform their mission successfully”, continued Lt. Col. M’. “The F-35 aircraft brings a significant advantage to the theatre, which allows the other aircraft to carry on with their missions while handling oncoming threats”.
The red force was made up of the force’s aggressor squadron – the 115th (“Flying Dragon”) Squadron – and the Air Defense Array’s “Yahalom” (Patriot) batteries, which acted as advanced SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) systems. “The red force provides a significant challenge”, said Lt. Col. Panagiotis Katsikaris, Commander of the Hellenic Air Force’s 335th Squadron. “The reds started out easy during the first few flights, but we noticed their tactics changing as the days went by. They operated differently each day, and we had to act accordingly. Thanks to our mutual operation, we learned valuable lessons with each day”.
This is the most advanced international Air Force exercise in Israel’s history.
?? ?? ?? ?? ??
This is Blue Flag 2019.@IAFsite + @usairforce + @bundeswehrInfo + @ItalianAirForce + @HAFspokesman = Squad(ron) Goals pic.twitter.com/bjQmMtU9NG
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 15, 2019
⚠️???️♂️?? It appears that JORDANIAN (RJAF) F-16AM and F-16BM (ex-RNLAF) fighter jets have been flying over both Israel and Jordan over the past four days (3-6 Nov) using "#NASHMI" (Arabic for "fragrance") callsigns.
Here's how I know.
(thread)#potn #avgeek #NASHMI1 #NASHMI2 pic.twitter.com/reIrW4IE6M
— Gerjon | חריון (@Gerjon_) November 6, 2019
Several pro-Israeli media outlets and military experts speculated that the Red Team’s Patriot surface-to-air missile systems simulated Russia’s S-300 and S-400 air defense systems that were overcome by the Israeli-US force.
The success demonstrated by US-made Patriot missiles in Saudi Arabia, where they defended a half of Saudi oil production from Houthi strikes, is widely-known for the international audience. So, what could possibly go wrong?
