Military Exercise
More Advanced, More Innovative ‘Blue Flag’ 2021 After two weeks that filled Israeli skies with fighter jets from around the world, the fifth Blue Flag exercise ended with each participating air force returning with the experience and knowledge gained at the largest and most advanced international exercise ever held in Israel
Photograph: Israeli Air Force / Twitter
By SP’s Correspondent
In 2013, the Israeli Air Force (ISAF) held the first-ever ‘Blue Flag’ exercise - an Israeli international exercise that includes just three participating nations: the United States, Greece, and Italy. This year, those three countries have returned for the fifth time, only this time they were joined by air forces from four additional countries: Germany, France, India, and the UK. Over two weeks, challenges evolved, new training methods introduced and capabilities improved - this is ‘Blue Flag’ 2021 held from October 17–28, 2021.
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ISSUE 10 • 2021
This years’ exercise, which has been held every two years since 2013, was the largest and most diverse yet - eight air forces, 75 aircraft, over ten different platforms, 1,500 participants, and two weeks of challenging aerial drills and joint missions. The exercise is of tremendous strategic-international importance to the State of Israel, and acts as a bridge for regional cooperation and enhancement of shared capabilities. The exercise included the German Air Force and Royal Air Force, each with six Eurofighter jets, as well as the United States
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