Israeli Air Force to host 7 nations in its largest-ever air drill
The Israeli Air Force is set to host flying forces from seven nations later this year in the largest and most complex air exercise in its history, Defense News reports.
Nearly 100 aircraft and several hundreds of air warriors and support crews from the United States, Greece, Poland, France, Germany, India and Italy will converge here in the autumn for Blue Flag, a biennial, two-week drill aimed at honing the type of planning, targeting and coordinated command and control demanded by coalitions operating in high-threat theaters.
“It will be a massive exercise; the biggest ever for the IAF. Seven nations plus Israel,” said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, the Israeli Air Force's chief of international affairs.
He declined to specify what exactly is planned for this year’s drill. The source notes that during the last Blue Flag, forces conducted many hundreds of sorties.
Blue Flag began in 2013 and continued in 2015 as a four-way exercise involving Israel, the U.S., Greece and Poland. This year, however, four new nations are participating, along with officers and attaches from nearly 40 countries who are expected to attend as observers.