The Israeli Air Force has decided to scale back its participation in the Red Flag exercise in Alaska amid increasing tensions on Israel's northern border.
"In light of the situational assessment by the Air Force it was decided to adjust the planes' participation in the exercise," read a statement by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, stressing that nonetheless, "Israel's first participation in the Red Flag exercise in Alaska will take place as planned."
According to a statement by Air Force public affairs officer Kitsana Dounglomchan, Israel's Air Force decided not to send F-15 fighter jets to the two-week-long drill, which will run between April 26 - May 11, out of Eielson Air Force base in Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
"Despite this change, we are looking forward to hosting the Israeli contingent that will be partaking in Red Flag-Alaska 18-1," Dounglomchan was quoted by local media as saying.
The Red Flag exercises take place several times a year bringing together US and international forces for drills on realistic simulated combat situations. A statement released by Pacific Air Forces, the Alaskan Command's higher headquarters which directs the exercise, said that over 60 aircraft "from more than a dozen units" will be taking part in the drill.
Israel regularly participates in US Air Force's main Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada and the drill in Alaska is meant to offer pilots the opportunity to fly in combat scenarios which involve winter conditions such as snow and ice that Israeli pilots rarely get to drill on in the Middle East |