The VIRTUAL FLAG exercise program is a Commander Air Combat Command-sponsored event that provides operational and tactical warfighters a virtual, theater-level, joint combat environment in which to train. The 705th Combat Training Squadron’s Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC) located at Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico, is solely responsible for planning and executing these exercises. VIRTUAL FLAG (VF) exercises follow a nine-calendar day cycle. The first few days include exercise familiarization, academics, system operational checks, and mission planning events. The employment phase is spread over four days during which each execution period builds upon the planning, execution, and debriefing of the previous days. Units can participate from either the DMOC itself, or distributed from their home stations, saving travel time and resources.
VIRTUAL FLAG is a real-time tactical-to-operational level event using air, land, space, cyber, and maritime scenarios integrating live, virtual, and constructive elements to train warfighters. Simulators from the DMOC and worldwide distributed sites are integrated, providing a training environment to thousands of Joint and Coalition warfighters annually. The 705 CTS employs multiple U.S. Air Force/joint/coalition weapons systems simulators and emulators including the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, Control and Reporting Center, Distributed Common Ground System, remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), Joint Terminal Attack Controller systems, air support operations center, datalinks, U.S. Navy Cell (Carrier Strike Group, Aegis), U.S. Army Cells (RPAs, Patriot & air defense artillery fire control officer), environment generators, and white/red force operators.
HISTORY
The VF exercise program traces its origins to DESERT PIVOT (DP), established in October 2000. Designated the Theater Aerospace Command and Control Simulation Facility at the time, the DMOC executed DP until May 2003. The exercise was then elevated to a flag-level exercise and renamed VF. The first instance of Coalition VF was executed in September 2009 with participants from the U.S., Great Britain, Australia, and Canada.
505TH COMMAND AND CONTROL WING (CCW) PUBLIC AFFAIRS (PA)
For more information about VIRTUAL FLAG, contact the PA office at 850-884-9476 or 505ccw.pa.publicaffairs@us.af.mil.
(Current as of July 2020)