RED FLAG 21-1

for the DCS: F-16C Viper

CAMPAIGN GUIDE

Welcome to Red Flag 21-1! This campaign is the result of painstaking research on the conduct
of modern Large Force Exercise (LFE) operations. These 10 missions will put you up against to
some of the best military hardware in the world, operated in the most realistic environment
possible in a flight simulation.
You may already be familiar with the Red Flag exercises from the very well regarded DCS:
World campaigns for the F-15C, A-10C and Viggen. This campaign takes a fresh approach,
with an all-new scenario, extensive documentation and new unique features built in.
My goal throughout the development of this campaign was to take enough care in setting up the
missions that detailed planning would be rewarded. These are challenging missions but there
are no intentional traps set for the player. Everything is laid out plainly before you. There are
no twists that will invalidate your planning efforts and there is no one single way to execute any
mission.
Red Flag missions, both in the real world and in this campaign, are not a pass/fail situation. The
intent is to expose new participants to their first 10 combat missions, then brutally and honestly
assess what went wrong and what went right. For this reason, there are no targets that must be
destroyed to succeed in a mission and advance. These missions are automatically passed after
you enter the target area, regardless of results. Then, you decide for yourself how you want to
proceed.
By the end of the campaign, I have no doubt you will be ready to face any new challenge with
absolute confidence. That is what Red Flag is all about.

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Contents

DOCUMENTATION ...................................................................................................................... 3
UNIQUE FEATURES .................................................................................................................... 4
RED FLAG .................................................................................................................................... 6
The Blue Force .......................................................................................................................... 6
The Red Force .......................................................................................................................... 7
The White Force ........................................................................................................................ 9
Red Flag Missions ................................................................................................................... 10
Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) .............................................................................. 11
CAMPAIGN SCENARIO ............................................................................................................. 13
Road to War ............................................................................................................................ 13
Blueland Objectives ................................................................................................................. 14
Redland Objectives ................................................................................................................. 14
Orangeland Objectives ............................................................................................................ 14
ADVERSARY THREAT .............................................................................................................. 15
Air Threat................................................................................................................................. 16
IADS Threat ............................................................................................................................. 18
CREDITS .................................................................................................................................... 20

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DOCUMENTATION
All documents come in pdf format and can be accessed at /Mods/campaigns/F-16C Red Flag
21/Doc in your DCS: World installation folder.
In addition to this Campaign Guide, two tools are provided to help you plan and execute each
mission. These are the Standard Operating Procedures and Briefing Slides.
The Standard Operating Procedures include procedures applicable to all missions. Rather
than repeat the information every time, it is all compiled there in one place.
The Briefing Slides include information unique to each individual mission. These are identical
in many ways to those used for the Mission Commander briefing held in the main auditorium
before each Red Flag mission. These are also available on your kneeboard in flight.
These documents can also be accessed in-cockpit by a number of methods, the obvious
choices being to display them on a second monitor or save them to an iPad or tablet. Another
way is to open the documents before starting DCS: World and use keyboard command alt-tab to
swap back and forth between the documents and the cockpit view as shown here:

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UNIQUE FEATURES
Three new items are built into each mission that, I believe, greatly enhance the experience: an
air start option, kill removal and regeneration, and electronic order of battle reports
(lowdown). In addition, one special mission is included that replicates exposure to a Chinese
J-11A Flanker.

Air Start Option

Enough time has been built into each mission for a comfortable startup, full INS alignment, and
refueling at one of the tankers before pushing for your target 35-50 minutes later. This is very
realistic, but it is not the experience all players are looking for. To deal with this, I have included
an option to skip ahead and start in the air ready to go. To do so, open the communications
menu and select F10. Other…, then select ‘Skip to Push Time’. This will place you in the air,
ready to ingress into the target area.

Kill Removal and Regeneration

Red Flag is intended to prepare participants for the demands of an actual combat mission but is
at its heart a training environment. When hit by enemy fire, you will either continue with the
mission or fly back to a reset line where you will ‘regenerate’ and re-enter the fight. This is the
same system used in the real Red Flag to ensure valuable range training time is not lost.

Lowdown
A current Electronic Order of Battle (EOB), termed as a ‘Lowdown’, will be available from
AWACS upon request using the F10. Other… communications menu. This will provide a list of
SAM sites in the target area along with their status. Updates will be provided to you
automatically when new SAM sites are detected and when each SAM site’s tracking radar is
assessed as destroyed. AWACS will also attempt to notify you when you enter the Missile
Engagement Zone (MEZ) of a previously unknown threat.

More details on each of these features are included in the Standard Operating Procedures
document.

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J-11A Flanker Exposure

In addition, one very special mission is included that replicates exposure to a Chinese J-11A
Flanker. While fictional, this mission is set up exactly as described by ‘Red Eagles’ pilots who
participated in the Constant Peg program, exposing MiG-17’s, MiG-21’s and Mig-23’s to US
pilots in the 1970’s and 80’s.
The mission is conducted exactly as described by those pilots and the Basic Fighter Maneuvers
(BFM) setups you will fly are authentic.

Offensive BFM Neutral BFM

- 9,000 ft line abreast start - 9,000 ft line abreast start
- Terminate after each kill - Terminate after each kill
- 12,000 ft (3,660 m) hard deck - 12,000 ft (3,660 m) hard deck

maneuver at will
‘Fight’s on!’

maneuver at will
‘Fight’s on!’
Pure pursuit curve to
close distance
‘Reverse.’ Reverse turn (2-3 G)
‘Turn in.’

45° level turn (2-3 G)

2-3 G level turn ‘Turn away.’
‘Check 50 right.’

Press SPACEBAR
Press SPACEBAR to initiate
to initiate

Prepare aircraft
Prepare aircraft for BFM
for BFM

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RED FLAG
The RED FLAG exercise was established at Nellis AFB, Nevada in 1975 to provide the highest
level of realism in a high threat environment possible during peacetime. The exercise grew out
of the results of the Vietnam War, where it was thought ninety percent of the combat aircraft
losses occurred within the first ten combat missions. Those crucial first ten missions are
replicated here so lessons in survival are learned in a controlled setting, not in actual combat.
The overall objective is to “provide a safe,
simulated combat environment that allows
participants to employ composite force
tactics against strategic and tactical
targets defended by a challenging,
integrated air defense system”. The
operations tempo and level of realism
increases gradually throughout the ten
flying days.
Participation is often part of a unit’s ‘work
up’ in advance of real-world deployment.
Units, with agreement from their higher
headquarters, volunteer based on their
training requirements, availability, and
funds remaining. The complex logistical
problems are worked out during various
pre-deployment conferences and form a basis for contingency deployment planning.
The exercise is administered by the 414th Combat Training Squadron at Nellis, where
preparation begins many months in advance. Planning staffs and mission directors are
assigned to orchestrate the efforts of everyone participating. Objectives are defined, and a
scenario is written.
Each scenario pits a Blue Force, whose objective is to attack red strategic, interdiction and
close air support targets, against a Red Force whose objective is to defend its resources. The
mock war is controlled by a White Force, who controls range procedures, sets participant
training objectives, controls the intensity and tempo of air combat, and oversees range safety.

The Blue Force

All four U.S. military services, their Guard and Reserve components and the air forces of other
countries participate in each RED FLAG exercise. Since 1975, 28 countries have joined the
U.S. in these exercises. Several other countries have participated as observers. RED FLAG
has provided training for more than 440,000 military personnel, including more than 145,000
aircrew members flying more than 385,000 sorties and logging more than 660,000 hours of
flying time.

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An advanced echelon, or ‘ADVON’ team

from each unit normally deploys to Nellis
several days in advance of the exercise
participants. Their function is to prepare to
receive aircraft, equipment and personnel,
review the scenario and act as a higher
headquarters planning staff.
Aircraft generally arrive on a Friday or
Saturday, and maintenance prepares for
operations on Monday. On Sunday, the
aircrews receive ground academics and are
given their first Air Tasking Order (ATO).

The Red Force

The Red Force threats are aligned under the 57th Operations Group, which controls seven
squadrons of USAF Aggressors, including fighter, space, information operations and air defense
units. The Aggressors are specially trained to replicate the tactics and techniques of potential
adversaries and provide a scalable threat presentation to Blue Forces which aids in achieving
the desired learning outcomes for each mission.
Other air defense fighter units that are evaluating their combat air patrol (CAP) and air base
defense tactics augment the aggressors.

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Ground-based area and point defenses

form the other half of the enemy integrated
air defense system (IADS). Manned and
unmanned threat emitters run by civilian
contractors and the Red Flag staff simulate
Soviet-style ground threats such as the SA-
2, 3.4, 6, 8 and ZSU 23-4.
These threat systems provide realistic
acquisition, track, and launch indications to
Blue Force aircraft.

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The White Force

A White Force at RED FLAG uses the Nellis Air Combat Training System (NACTS) to monitor
the mock combat between Red and Blue. NACTS allows commanders, safety observers and
exercise directors to monitor the mission and keep score of simulated 'kills' while viewing the
simulated air battle as it occurs.
An aircraft must be equipped with an Aircraft Instrumentation Subsystem (AIS) Pod for tracking.
Each aircraft is monitored electronically, and a computer-enhanced display provides real-time
depiction of the battle, across the full spectrum of operations for the entire Red Flag training
area.
In this campaign, you will hear radio calls from Showtime, one of the technicians at the Range
Training Officer console, who will evaluate the situation and declare flights as dead when certain
criteria are met.

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Red Flag Missions

The mission cycle begins when the Air Tasking Order (ATO) is disseminated to all units. Flight
leads identify which packages they are assigned to along with their targets and support assets.
The mission commander holds a meeting of all flight leads to discuss tactics and a general
game plan. Flight leads discuss the best way their aircraft can support the mission. After the
meeting, flight leads get together with the aircrews of their flight and tasks are delegated. For
the F-16, assuming a flight of four aircraft, the lead and number three aircraft may determine
target area tactics and deconflict with other flights in the area. The number two aircraft may be
assigned to plan the route and number four to get the intelligence assessment and weapons
data. The details of subordinating tasks are left to flight lead discretion. Every area of the
mission, which includes mission data, ground procedures, departure, refueling, ingress, target
area, egress, and landing, is planned.
After the mission has been planned in detail, a mass briefing with all participants is held to brief
the overall operations. These details include the day's objectives, weather, intel scenario, red
force operating instructions and special instructions, blue force operations, and safety.
Immediately after the mass brief, participants go to individual flight briefs where the details of
flight operations are enumerated. Every aspect of the mission and areas of potential impact are
discussed.
The conduct of the actual mission is covered in a separate document called Campaign
Standard Operating Procedures. In short, all flights depart Nellis AFB and fly north along an
assigned departure corridor. Flights refuel if required then hold at a marshal orbit until all flights
are assembled. At the designated time, flights depart marshal and execute their planned
mission. Flights then leave the area and return to Nellis AFB along an assigned recovery
corridor.
After landing, crews debrief and record results and significant lessons or factors affecting their
package. Pertinent information for the flight includes conduct of the flight, strengths and
weaknesses of the tactics, and hits and misses of the weapons. Shots taken or observations
about other members of the package are recorded and passed to the mission commander.
He or she debriefs all members of the package using the NACTS to illustrate valuable points,
areas of contention, or positive learning situations. After the mission commanders (both Blue
and Red) have debriefed, a final mass debrief is held to discuss lessons learned, the conduct of
the day's operations, and safety factors.
Finally, aircrews pick up the ATO for the next day and begin planning.

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Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR)

Red Flag exercises require a geographical space large enough to accommodate large
composite force packages. The Nevada Test and Training Range was selected for this reason.
According to the USAF Fact Sheet, “the NTTR is the largest contiguous air and ground space
available for peacetime military operations in the free world. The range occupies 2.9 million
acres of land, 5,000 square miles of airspace which is restricted from civilian air traffic over-flight
and another 7,000 square miles of Military Operating Area, or MOA, which is shared with civilian
aircraft. The 12,000-square-nautical mile range provides a realistic arena for operational testing
and training aircrews to improve combat readiness.”

A wide variety of live munitions can be employed on targets on the range. Targets such as
mock airfields, vehicle convoys, tanks, parked aircraft, bunkered defensive positions and missile
sites are built from real equipment or improvised using large shipping containers.

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This DCS: World campaign uses the actual target sites on the NTTR used for exercises such as
RED FLAG. Due to the enormous number of objects this requires, however, only those targets
that are applicable to each mission are used.

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CAMPAIGN SCENARIO
The scenario used when designing the campaign is very typical of scenarios used in a Large
Force Exercises like RED FLAG. Terms like Redland, Orangeland and Blueland are used in
place of nations or land areas to avoid biasing decisions or drawing incorrect conclusions from
the results. After all, Nevada is not like all locations and the threats available do not necessarily
match the systems that would be encountered in the real world. They usually have some basis
in reality though. In this campaign, it should be obvious Redland = China, Orangeland =
Taiwan and Blueland = the U.S. and its allies.
The scenario is mostly incidental to the conduct of each mission from the pilot’s point of view,
although it does determine rules-of-engagement, the type of threats used on the range and the
tactics used by the Aggressors. A ‘commander’s intent’ is determined for each mission based
on the situation and mission commanders tailor their plans to achieve the required effects.
These could be kinetic effects (bombs on target) or something more abstract, like affecting the
political situation, gaining intel, or bringing about cyber based effects. The full spectrum of
military capabilities is considered.

Road to War
The crisis began when a document reportedly outlining Redland plans to pressure Orangeland
into agreeing to a first-ever summit meeting about achieving national reunification became
public. In Orangeland, an official spokesperson stated that no such meeting would take place
unless it can be arranged under circumstances that protect Orangeland’s interests and the
dignity of the people of Orangeland.
Redland leaders conclude that they cannot afford to appear weak on Orangeland and order
their armed forces to prepare a ground invasion.
Orangeland’s ally Blueland is
expected to intervene, but they
calculate that it might still be
possible to limit the conflict by
refraining from kinetic actions
against Blueland forces and
sending carefully calibrated
deterrent signals. Accordingly,
Redland did not launch any kinetic
strikes against Blueland forces in
the region, but publicized deterrent
actions, such as the deployment of
conventional medium range
ballistic missiles (MRBMs) to field
sites, which appear to be intended
as warnings to Blueland.

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In response, Blueland conducted show-of-force naval patrols in the waters near the two
conflicting sides. Within hours, Redland responded by sinking two Blueland ships with
submarine-launched Anti-Surface Cruise Missiles.
From there, escalation was forceful and rapid. The initial Blueland target set for cruise missiles
included command and control networks and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR), as well as air defenses and bases for Redland aircraft.
Blueland has deployed an air expeditionary force to the area that consists of:
Aircraft Unit Callsign Primary Mission
F-15C 493rd FS Ford CAP
F-15E 355th FS Dodge Strike
F/A-18C VFA-34 Springfield SEAD
F-16C 79th FS Colt Strike
B-1B 46 BS Pontiac Strike
A-10C 81st FS Tusk CAS
KC-135 351st ARS Arco / Shell Tanker
E-3 966th AACS Darkstar AWACS

Blueland Objectives
Blueland is now involved in the fight and will target Redland military forces within Orangeland.
Blueland intends to ensure that the people of Orangeland are not coerced into unification by
force. Blueland also aims to restore security and stability to the region as quickly as possible; it
wishes to avoid a large-scale conflict with Redland and to limit escalation. In addition, Blueland
aims to preserve its alliance relationships and maintain its influence in the region.

Redland Objectives
Redland has moved assets including ground troops and tactical SAM into Orangeland territory
and has begun an air campaign in support of reunification.
Redland’s objective is to coerce Orangeland into unification on the basis of the One Redland
principle. In addition, Redland seeks to increase its overall influence in the region as a result of
its successful unification with Orangeland.

Orangeland Objectives
Orangeland has requested Blueland’s assistance. Orangeland’s objective is to restore
something that resembles the status quo that prevailed prior to the invasion. Leaders in
Orangeland have stated clearly that they will not negotiate with Redland under military pressure.
At the same time, however, they have indicated that they remain open to rebuilding the
relationship once Redland has ceased all hostilities against Orangeland.

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ADVERSARY THREAT
Before describing the threats you will face as the player, let me explain a little about how the
systems were chosen. I tried as much as possible to make this a modern China vs U.S.
scenario, within the limitations of what is possible in DCS: World. The campaign features new
aircraft, air defenses and units from the Deka Ironworks Chinese Assets Pack, such as the J-
11A Flanker, HQ-7 SAM system, ZBD-04A APC and ZTZ-96B Main Battle Tank.

Screenshots courtesy of Deka Ironworks

Where the exact Chinese threat system did not exist, I used the closest equivalent that is
available, SA-2 instead of HQ-2, Mig-21 instead of J-7, etc. The system name as it appears in
DCS: World is used throughout to avoid confusion.
Air Defenses like SAMs and AAA are placed at the actual threat sites used for exercises such
as RED FLAG. I did, however, take one liberty when it comes to threat aircraft. Instead of
using F-15s and F-16s from the Aggressor squadrons at Nellis AFB, I used J-11A, Su-30 and
MiG-21s operating from Groom Lake. This is, of course, semi-fictional but solves many
logistical problems when it comes to the mission design.
When setting the difficulty, it is important to me that the reason is clear any time your aircraft is
shot down, and not the result of ‘brute force’ in the defence layout. For this campaign, Red air
defence plans were determined independently of the Blue air plans so there are no ‘gotchas’ or
‘traps’ other than those that arose by chance through legitimate tactics. Your aircraft is treated
no differently from any other aircraft in the mission. No aircraft or other systems are targeted
specifically against your aircraft.
Make no mistake, you are up against an air defence plan intended to put up effective resistance,
but my intent is to make it a very fair fight if you go in prepared.

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Redland Air Threat

Redland possesses a 4th generation Air Force with significant capabilities. Four squadrons of
J-11A and Su-30 Flankers maintain two Combat Air Patrols of up to four fighters each over the
Area of Operations (AO). Additional assets are expected to be maintained on 15-minute alert at
each airfield. (See the note below.) Additionally, a small force of older MiG-21 Fishbeds may be
deployed as interceptors, also on 15-minute alert status.
Redland has shown a desire / intent to destroy Blue high value airborne assets (HVAA) like the
E-3 Sentry AWACS should the opportunity present itself.

Design Note: Airfields at RED FLAG are represented by Red Regeneration, or ‘regen’ areas.
These airfields, called in this DCS campaign Ranch, Dirt, and Hiway, are shown above in red.
Expect enemy aircraft to enter the area from those directions. This is explained in more detail in
the Standard Operating Procedures.

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Air Threat Summary

ACFT RADIUS (NM) MACH RWR GUNS MISSILES

J-11A 460 2.3 29 30mm 6x AA-10; 4x AA-11

Su-30 460 2.3 30 30mm 6x AA-10 or AA-12; 4x AA-11

MiG-21 200 2.1 21 23mm 2-4x AA-8

MISSILE MAX RNG (NM) GUIDANCE

AA-8 APHID 1.7 Infrared

AA-10 ALAMO 20/30 (C/D) Infrared/Semi-active Radar/Active Radar

AA-11 ARCHER 8 Infrared

AA-12 ADDER 25 Active Radar

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Redland IADS Threat

Redland possesses a solid Integrated Air Defense System (IADS). Some systems are linked to
provide a combined air picture which is used for early warning, missile engagement and aircraft
Ground Controlled Intercept (GCI) control.
The Surface to Air Missile (SAM) threat consists of double-digit SAMs or equivalent (SA-10/15,
HQ-7), less capable SA-2 sites, plus SA-18 Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS).
Front-line forces and some important strategic targets are protected by ZSU-23-4 radar directed
anti-aircraft artillery (AAA).
Some missions later in the campaign will feature mobile SAM systems whose locations are
unknown. This is limited to one system per mission.
Systems active in the AO are noted on map included with each mission. A typical layout is
shown below.

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IADS Threat Summary

RNG
SYSTEM TYPE RWR ALT (FT) GUIDANCE
(NM)

SA-10 Strat SAM BB, CS, 10 35.0 131,000 Track Via Missile

SA-2 Strat SAM 2 24.3 98,400 Radio Command

HQ-7 Mobile SAM HQ, 7 6.5 21,300 Radio Command

SA-15 Mobile SAM 15 6.5 19,700 Radio Command

SA-18 MANPADS N/A 2.5 12,000 IR

ZSU-23-4 AAA A 1.4 11,500 Optical / Radar

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CREDITS
We would like to thank the voice actors who provided their valuable assistance in making these
missions come alive:
Norm 'Nineline' Loewen
Matt ‘Wags’ Wagner
Also, special thanks to Michael ‘Overkill’ Fredona for his voice work. Be sure to visit his Overkill
Productions Youtube channel for guides on the F-16C that will help immensely while flying this
campaign.
There are ten missions in total providing what we believe will be both a fun and authentic
experience. We hope you have as much fun flying these missions as we did putting them
together.
Bunyap

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