Exercise Silver Flag, an event designed to improve civil engineer and support airmen for expeditionary base operations, has been reestablished at Andersen AFB, Guam. The 554th RED HORSE Squadron Det. 1 opened up the new site, which will host the first iteration of Silver Flag in over a year and a half, during an Oct. 15 ceremony at Andersen AFB, Guam. The exercise moved to Andersen from Kadena AB, Japan, with 111 airmen from bases across the Asia-Pacific attending. The eight-day Pacific Air Forces exercise event is specifically designed to improve and test civil engineer and force support airmen for operations at bare base and deployed locations, focusing on skills such as base and airfield recovery, setup operations, and command and control. Silver Flag also focuses on specialty training with equipment such as crane operations, setup of lighting and arresting barriers on airfields, generator installation, and operation and fire rescue technician training, according to officials with the 554th RHS. The Northwest Field site is still under construction, but it will consist of 18 facilities, 60 acres of training area, and a 5,000-foot training runway upon completion. The new site is a key milestone in the buildup of the PACAF Regional Training Center, and enhances expeditionary combat skills airmen need in US Pacific Command, said Col. Tyrell Chamberlin, the 36th Wing vice commander, in a release.
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.