Green Flag 2011-7

[wamovements]

5/10/2011 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Southern Nevada and Southern California residents may see increased military aircraft activity as the Air Force flies Green Flag West 11-7.

Missions, which take place May 13-27 at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., will be flown 2 to 11 p.m. the first week and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. the second week. The exercise flight path includes areas within the Las Vegas valley, to and from Nellis AFB and the NTC, near Mount Charleston, and north of Pahrump in Nevada; as well the Mojave Desert near Fort Irwin in both Inyo and San Bernardino Counties in California.

Conducted by the 549th Combat Training Squadron at Nellis and the 12th Combat Training Squadron at Fort Irwin, Green Flag West provides a realistic close-air support training environment for Airmen and Soldiers preparing to deploy in support of combat operations.

An unscripted battle exercise which provides units with training on a scale not available at or near their home stations, Green Flag West replicates irregular warfare conditions currently found in Southwest Asia. Aircrews, working closely with Air Force joint terminal attack controllers embedded with the 3rd Infantry Division, fly close air support, aerial reconnaissance and other missions to support 6,000 Soldiers and 400 armored and support vehicles operating in a 1,000-square-mile combat environment.

Units from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied nations regularly participate in Green Flag West, which is held throughout the year.

Aircraft and squadrons participating in Green Flag West 11-7 include F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 121st Fighter Squadron, Washington, D.C.; a KC-10 Extender from the 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.; the 238th Air Support Operations Squadron, Mississippi; and the Civil Air Patrol at the North Las Vegas Airport.

For more information about Green Flag West 11-7, contact the Nellis Public Affairs Office at (702) 652-2750.