RF-A EOP builds relationships between AF leadership

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez
  • 374 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  The RED FLAG-Alaska Executive Observer Program (EOP), an annual, five-day distinguished visitor program, took place laterally with the RF-A 15-3 live-fly exercise.

The objective of the EOP is to present Pacific Forces' premier multinational and large force employment exercise while building partnerships with senior air powers leaders from the global community.

The 2015 EOP hosted representatives from 12 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and the United Kingdom. It also hosted two multinational organizations: Ms. Heidi Grant, Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, and Brig. Gen. Dawn Dunlop, NATO Airborne Early Warning and Force Command commander.

Relationships are built, maintained and strengthened during real-world humanitarian and disaster relief operations that take place every year in the Indo-Asia Pacific Region, along with air symposiums and other multinational events, RF-A being the most advanced live-fly international exercise. 

The Royal Danish Air Force participated as a Working-Level Observer team during RF-A 15-3, preparing them for participation with C-130J aircraft in RF-A 16-1 next spring, according to Karl von Luhrte, Pacific Command international affairs and EOP manager. A WLO team is a group of two to four people who come to Exercise RF-A to observe and prepare to be a participant in the following year or two.

Von Luhrte said it can be difficult to measure the exact outcome of the EOP, but consistent feedback shows it plays a part in improving relationships between partner nations. Having pre-established relationships allows the nations to reach out and ask for help from one another, or offer help.

"When things go wrong, established relationships are extremely important," von Luhrte said. "It's a lot easier to ask a friend for assistance than a complete stranger."

The Royal New Zealand Air Force has been a part of the EOP for years, moving on to a WLO in 2014. During RF-A 15-3, the RNZAF took their participation to the operational level, flying C-130 Hercules alongside multinational aircraft.

"The EOP helped enable it, but ultimately there are a lot of things that have to happen for a country to join RED-FLAG Alaska," von Luhrte said. "It speaks to the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the emphasis they put into air power and specifically airlift capabilities."

RED FLAG-Alaska gave the RNZAF the opportunity to learn tactics from the training itself and from other participating nations and implement them into their low-level flying, air drop and air-land techniques.

"It is an invaluable exercise," said RNZAF Flt. Lt. Matt Hansen, C-130 Hercules pilot. "For us, it prepares us to go into a combat environment or warzone, so that we can interact with each other. We've met each other before and we know how each other operate."