The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is participating in the airborne warfighting simulation and training exercise Exercise Red Flag 11-3 at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, US, being held from 21 February to 15 March.

RAAF Base Richmond’s No. 37 Squadron is flying a pair of C-130H Hercules transport aircraft alongside fighters, surveillance aircraft and tankers in the simulated warzone.

Commanding officer No. 37 squadron wing commander Mark McCallum said the C-130s is flying tactical airlift missions, dropping paratroops by static-line or freefall, or landing on a desert airstrip to pick up personnel.

“No other exercise in the world has the same level of complexity in its exercise area, and no other exercise delivers the same experience,” he added.

Red Flag 11-3 is coordinated by the US Air Force and features an exercise space over 24,000sq km of desert north of Las Vegas, US.