The “Red Flag 2019” exercise began Monday, with the participation of the Saudi Royal Air Force through its latest F-15SA Eagle fighters and its entire technical and support crews, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, USA.

Alongside the US Air Force, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Belgium, the Netherlands and Singapore are also participating in the exercise.

The first day of the exercise witnessed the participation of over 80 aircraft, including the F-35 F-15 F-16 F-18, which carried out a number of pre-prepared scenarios simulating real war, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Red Flag 2019 Exercise is due to conclude on 22 March 2019.

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

Each year, four to six Red Flag exercises are held at Nellis Air Force Base, while up to four more, dubbed Red Flag - Alaska, are held at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

First held in 1975, the Red Flag exercises bring together air crews from the United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy (USN), United States Marine Corps (USMC), United States Army (USA) and numerous NATO and other allied nations’ air forces.

Red Flag exercises are conducted under the aegis of the United States Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis. They are run by the 414th Combat Training Squadron (414 CTS) of the 57th Wing (57 WG). They use “enemy” hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the adjacent Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).

Red Flag is the U.S. Air Force’s premier air-to-air combat training exercise. Participants often include both United States and allied nations’ combat air forces. The exercise provides aircrews the experience of multiple, intensive air combat sorties in the safety of a training environment.