US Marine Corps F-35B and US Air Force F-35A stealth fighter aircraft are working together for the first time at Red Flag 17-3 being held at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada.
“For Red Flag, we bring in our joint warfighters with their capabilities and their equipment,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Sadler, 414th Combat Training Squadron commander. “We come together and fight as a team. And, we get to learn from each other as we do that.”
“We get to learn in a realistic training environment as we continue to progress down the road with this platform and other fifth-generation or fourth-generation aircraft,” Sadler said.
Having two F-35 units at Red Flag provides a team-building opportunity, he said.
‘We’re Not Going to War Alone’
“We’re not going to go to war alone,” Sadler said. “The more we can do joint exercises like Red Flag — where we get everybody together and learn from each other — the more we can better use each other’s tactics, techniques and procedures to successfully go after whatever the problem set is.” – US Department of Defense
Featured image of Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 “Wake Island Avengers,” 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, wait for pilots to walk to three F-35B Lightning IIs on the first day of Exercise Red Flag 17-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 10, 2017. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lillian Stephens
