what is significant about the American Red Flag aerial combat exercises?

Answer 1

Red Flag was a significant program because it gave aircrews with no previous combat experience training that could be substituted for the first actual combat missions.

The creators of the Red Flag exercises noticed that survival prospects for aircrews in combat improved considerably after about 15 missions. The idea of Red Flag was to give the aircrews the equivalent of those 15 missions in a training environment.

Red Flag included aggressor units to realistically act out the actions that an enemy might take, using aircraft that could mimic MIG-21 enemy fighters. (The Northrop F-5E was similar in size and performance to the MIG-21. Currently the F-16C is used as a replacement for the F-5E.)

Red Flag has greatly improved combat readiness in all Air Force, Navy, Marine and Army (and allied) aircrews which have participated. Short of actual combat it has been one of the most effective training tools used by flying services.