C-130J Hercules returns home from training exercise in Alaska

The transport aircraft operated by No. 40 Squadron at RNZAF Base Auckland was among 85 aircraft involved in the multi-national exercise, which is designed to improve aircrew combat readiness. 

Red Flag, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, provides realistic training in a combined air and ground threat environment, including tasks with requirements such as threat evasion, airdropping of land combat personnel, landing on unprepared airstrips and fighter escort co-ordination.

Alongside New Zealand’s C-130J-30 Hercules were fighter aircraft from various United States units and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, tankers, command and control and transport aircraft including C-130Js from the USAF’s No 36 Airlift Squadron based in Yokota, Japan, and aircraft from the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force, all based at JBER and Eielson Air Force Base.

The RNZAF detachment commander, Squadron Leader Adam Palmer, said the exercise had been highly successful.

"The benefit of operating the C-130J is that we can seamlessly integrate into a large coalition force, as was demonstrated during the Joint Forceable Entry Operation supporting the 11^th Airborne Division. The relationships built with partners at Red Flag enable us to successfully integrate during operational deployments. 

"To operate with our partners in a high-end, complex threat environment, against a simulated near-peer adversary, ensures our C-130J crews are ready to respond to a wide range of events at home and abroad.”

Squadron Leader Adam Palmer said New Zealand’s participation in Exercise Red Flag was also a significant milestone for the C-130J capability

“We have taken part in earlier iterations of this exercise with the C-130H, but this was the first time our C-130J had attended. This allowed No. 40 Squadron to operate aircraft self-protection systems against simulated threats, and tactical datalinks within a coalition environment.”