While fighter jets roar overhead and complex air battles unfold across the Nevada desert, much of the success of Exercise Red Flag Nellis 26-1 depends on work taking place far from the spotlight.
75 Squadron aircraft maintainers played a critical role keeping the fifth-generation fighters mission-ready during the exercise, ensuring they meet the demanding schedule of one of the world's premier air combat training exercises.
Aircraft technician Leading Aircraftman Rory Kerr, originally from Brisbane in Queensland, was deployed on his first Red Flag exercise supporting Australia's six F-35A Lightning IIs.
"Being here is definitely a career highlight. Nellis Air Force Base is called the home of the fighter. I now know why - the flight line just has constant fighter jets launching and landing," Leading Aircraftman Kerr said.
"Red Flag was designed to be a parallel to real world engagement and that goes for the ground crews as well. So the pressure is on a bit more than at home.
"We really need to be fixing as much as we can and getting the jets back up, because if this was a real-world scenario there really isn't another option."
Leading Aircraftman Kerr reflected on the difference between Red Flag Nellis and home operations at Tindal in the Northern Territory.
"We have a smaller number of jets here, so there is a fair bit of double-hatting going on and doing jobs we might not usually do," he said.
"There's constant movement of jets and other aircraft [and] of people. You really have to be quite vigilant when you're launching aircraft, even just doing inspections, because there'll be an F-16 behind you and [an] F-22 taking off, and with hearing protection you won't be able to hear anything.
"There are certainly challenges here that we have uncovered, but we have also found our strengths. We have really good training so we're not doing anything brand new out here."
While the pilots might take centre stage in the air, it is the dedication and skills of the aircraft maintainers on the ground that keeps the F-35A flying and ready for the next mission.
