US, UK and Australia carry out China focused air drills
The United States, United Kingdom and Australia carried out joint air exercise on Wednesday over the Nevada desert and beyond as part of an effort to simulate high-end combat operations against Chinese fighter aircraft and air defenses.
United States Air Force Colonel Jared J. Hutchinson, commander of the 414th Combat Training Squadron that runs Red Flag, said the annual exercise were not tied to any recent events. On Saturday, a US fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, hiking tensions.
At the heart of the drills was addressing the vast distances that the United States, United Kingdom and Australia would contend with when operating across the Pacific, and improving inter-operability of the three countries' air forces.
For the crew aboard the Royal Air Force's Voyager, that means serving as a kind of gas station in the skies- providing air-to-air refueling of fighter aircraft carrying out the simulated mission.
Air Commodore John Lyle, commander of the RAF's Air Mobility Force, told media the mission during the Red Flag drills would simulate bringing the air forces into 'an area where there has been an invasion by a hostile country.'
The Pentagon has voiced growing concern in recent years about pressure by China on self-ruled Taiwan, an island China sees as a breakaway province.
Beyond the tanker aircraft, United Kingdom also flew Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets in the exercises. Australia contributed EA-18G Growler aircraft, according to data provided by Red Flag organizers.
The United States government has identified China as the US military's top strategic priority, even as it devotes billions of dollars to support Ukraine in repelling invading Russian forces.
.png "Advertisement")
