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The Israel Air Force’s Operation Blue Flag 2017 began on Sunday, 16 Cheshvan and will continue until 27 Cheshvan, based out of the Uvda Air Force base in southern Israel.

This year, a record-breaking number of countries will take part in the exercise, including Greece, Poland, France, Italy, the United States, India and Germany. Participating countries will arrive in Israel in their aircraft and will practice different scenarios and descriptions, thus leading to a unique cooperation that enables international training in a quality field, mutual enrichment, flight techniques, investigation and strengthening of diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.

The planning of the exercise was initiated about a year ago and in full coordination with the relevant bodies. The Air Force reduced the air space of the exercise and the training hours, in order not to harm the civilian flights to Eilat. The exercise will involve more than 1,000 air crews, technical staff and administrative staff from all foreign air forces.

The Uvda base is the Air Force’s base most capable of accommodating such an exercise. The base was fully prepared for both the technical and administrative aspects and was prepared for the absorption of all the countries and air force squadrons. As part of the exercise, a large number of aircraft will be seen throughout the country.

The IDF Spokesperson emphasizes that the exercise was planned in advance as part of the annual training graph and coordinated with all relevant bodies in cooperation with the Airports Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Transport and the Municipality of Eilat.

In addition, this week, for the first time in twenty years, the commander of the British Air Force, General Sir Stephen Hillier, visited Israel. The Commander of the British Air Force toured the air force bases and experienced a simulator training exercise at the Center for Mission Training. This visit marks an increase in the volume and level of cooperation between the IAF and the British Air Force.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)