
The second Red Flag training session in 2016 took place at Nellis Air Force Base close to Las Vegas, Nevada between February 29thand March 11th. Participants to the training have been the US Air Force, US Army, US Navy, US Marines and two units from NATO Allies – the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) and the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Airforce).
The training occurs in the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) with a size of 31.000 square kilometres. 75 aircraft and approx. 1700 women and men took part in the exercise, including eight Eurofighter Typhoons from Italy and six F-16s and two KC-135 tankers from Turkey. The US participants included F-16CMs, F-15Es, F-15Cs, E-3Gs and a variety of Helicopters. For air to air refueling several KC-135Rs where available. Large bombers in form of B-52Hs and B-1Bs joined as well.
As aggressors Nellis-based F-16Cs where supported by AT-38Cs from the 435thFlying Training Squadron (FTS) of Randolph Air Force Based and the 88thFTS From Shepperd Air Force Base from Texas. Colonel A. Bernard, commander of Red Flag 16-2 explains: “As the AT-38C has a very small cross radar section it forms a very challenging opponent”

