beautiful, almost perfect machine,
in terms of aerodynamics.
“Of course, the aircraft has
its drawbacks – we fly earlier
A-models, which differ from the
aircraft of the other, Malbork-
based squadron that were modified
to G/GT standard when still in
German service. Our jets were
modified as well a few years ago,
giving them more capabilities.
“They may be old, but they
still perform very well, especially
in the hands of experienced
pilots. After all, it’s not so much
the age that counts but what
the platform, with its avionics,
sensors and weapons, can do.”
Maj Kida added: “Since we’re
assigned to act as opposing
forces in Frisian Flag, we stick
to the plan as laid down in
the daily scenarios, in order
to give the other participants
maximum training value.
“In some missions we’re fighting
‘with handcuffs on’; sometimes
we get more freedom to do what
we can. We simulate the use of
[R-27/AA-10] Alamo and [R-73/
AA-11] Archer air-to-air missiles,
or other weapons if required.”
In the air, the MiGs teamed
up with the Skyhawks from
Wittmund and some 12 to 16
other jets of different types
assigned to Red Air each day.
Air Guard Eagles
In recent years US Air National
Guard (ANG) F-15C/Ds have been
regular participants in Frisian
Flag. In the past four years the
deployments have been part
of Theater Support Packages
(TSPs) under Operation Atlantic
Resolve. The five operational
F-15 squadrons within the ANG
take turns to supply jets and
personnel for the deployments.
This year’s 123rd Expeditionary
Fighter Squadron (EFS) is a
combination of the Oregon ANG’s
123rd Fighter Squadron (FS)
‘Redhawks’/142nd Fighter Wing
(FW) at Portland International
Airport and the Massachusetts
ANG’s 131st FS ‘Death
Vipers’/104th FW based at Barnes
Municipal Airport near Westfield.
To spread the burden, each of
the two participating units takes
the lead for three of the six months
in which a TSP is deployed.
All 12 Eagles involved – including
six Oregon F-15Cs and five F-15Cs
plus an F-15D from Massachusetts- were scheduled to arrive at
Leeuwarden on March 15, well
ahead of the start of the exercise.
In the event, six jets took off from
Barnes to cross the Atlantic that day,
the other six arriving four days later.
The Eagles were ‘dragged across
the pond’ by KC-10A tankers,
flying into RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk,
on both occasions; and for
support, no fewer than 12 US Air
Force C-17As visited Leeuwarden
between March 12 and 22.
The 123rd EFS was led by Lt
Col Aaron Mathena, the 123rd FS
commander within the Oregon
ANG. The colonel, who has flown
some 1,800 hours on F-15A-D
models in the past 17 years, said:
“We have about 275 people in our
unit over here, including 40 US Air
Force personnel based in Europe.
“We’ve been able to fly daily
missions in the three weeks
preceding Frisian Flag, flying
with and against Dutch F-16s
and German Eurofighters.
“We’ll stay a couple more weeks
after the exercise and then move
on to Graf Ignatievo air base in
Bulgaria, where we will participate
in Exercise Thracian Eagle. In
June, the Massachusetts ANG
will take over.” After a seven-
week stay at Leeuwarden, the
Eagles flew to Bulgaria on May 3.
Although flown by Oregon
ANG pilots, half the Eagles
at Leeuwarden carried
Massachusetts ANG markings.
Lt Col Mathena explained: “We
fly a mix from both squadrons
to share the responsibility of
providing jets for the deployment.
It also allows us to keep airplanes
at home for our 24/7 home
station alert responsibility.
“We brought four of our jets
over to Barnes, so that the
squadron [there] can continue
flying with almost the same
number of airplanes as usual
while my squadron is here. In
return, we will get some of their
Eagles when we get back home.“For us, flying here is not that
different from flying at home. The
weather in this part of Europe
is very similar, and so is Dutch
air traffic control – it’s all very
clear and in English; almost
everyone over here is bilingual.
“Of course, there are some
differences: for instance,
the airspace is used by a lot
of commercial air traffic as
well. On the Oregon coast
we have a really big portion of
airspace available, giving some
possibilities we don’t have here.
And the aircraft we fly with are
different. This is my second
time flying with real MiG-29s- we don’t get to see them
that often, so that’s great.”
In Frisian Flag the Eagles flew
OCA and DCA missions, with
up to eight jets in one wave.
In common with most other
participants, the F-15s took their
share of Red Air flying, some of
them carrying Sniper targeting
pods on the centreline station.
“The Sniper is very useful for
identification of other aircraft at
long range, using the images
of the pod displayed in the
cockpit,” explained Lt Col
Mathena. “In air combat, we
simulate the use of either AIM-120
AMRAAM or AIM-9X missiles.”
During some Red Air missions,
the F-15D was also seen carrying
an AN/ALQ-188 jamming pod.
Although Leeuwarden will be
busy with the RNLAF’s transition
from F-16 to F-35 – the first
two new jets are expected to
touch down at Leeuwarden in
November 2019 – there will be
another Frisian Flag next year.
Among the Top Aces Skyhawks flying Red Air missions on behalf of the
Luftwaffe was A-4N C-FGZD ‘367’, seen returning to its home base of Wittmund
in northern Germany. The Canadian company reverted to its old name in
February, but the jets still carry the Discovery Air Defence Services logo.
Air National Guard F-15s deployed to Leeuwarden between March 15 and May 3 comprised six jets from Oregon
ANG’s 142nd Fighter Wing and six from Massachusetts ANG’s 104th Fighter Wing (F-15C 83-0018 ‘MA’ illustrated).AFM74 // JULY 2018 #364 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
Exercise
Report Frisian Flag 2018