FRIDAY FOTO (August 20, 2021)

Viva Las Vegas!

(U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)

An F-16C Falcon fighter jet assigned to the 64th Aggressor Squadron, taxis prior take-off at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on August 4, 2021. Nellis is located on the northeast edge of Las Vegas, and lights from some the city’s iconic hotels and casinos can be seen in the background.

This aircraft was about to join Exercise Red Flag at Nellis as a simulated enemy aircraft. Unlike iterations 1 and 2, Red Flag 21-3 only involves U.S. personnel. Alongside the U.S. Air Force, Red Flag-Nellis 21-3 included the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, Space Force, Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

Aggressor pilots are highly skilled in U.S. and adversary tactics. They provide realism to U.S. and allied forces during training exercises.