Red Flag-Alaska 26-2 gets underway

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — RED FLAG-Alaska 26-2 began May 28, drawing more than 2,100 service members from the United States and partner nations to Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for large-scale, realistic air combat training.

The exercise uses roughly 120,000 square miles of airspace in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, integrating joint and coalition forces against simulated threats to sharpen readiness and warfighting skills on what is described as the largest combat training range in the world. “This iteration focuses on strengthening partnerships by practicing operations together to improve response capabilities,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gregory Guiney, Assistant Director of Operations, 354th Operations Group Detachment 1.

Participants include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, Royal Air Force, Royal New Zealand Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Republic of Singapore Air Force. Aircrews and support personnel are set to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures while executing mission sets to enhance interoperability.

Operations at JBER opened with a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, conducting joint airborne operations that featured an airdrop of two door bundles and 50 paratroopers from the 11th Airborne Division. “The importance of this exercise is to build joint interoperability to project forces in the Indo-Pacific,” said Capt. Zachary Tarble, Air Officer, 11th Airborne Division, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Designed to replicate Indo-Pacific operational conditions, RED FLAG-Alaska emphasizes combined training with international partners and joint forces to bolster readiness and reinforce a shared commitment to regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

RED FLAG-Alaska 26-2 is scheduled to run through June 12, 2026.