EXERCISE Gray Flag: making sure systems connect the first time - Seapower Magazine

EXERCISE Gray Flag: making sure systems connect the first time - Seapower Magazine

Military aircraft flew more than 750 sorties at Gray Flag 2026, which ended Sept. 25, to expose integration problems before fleet aviators meet them on deployment.Gray Flag, held annually at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, is the naval aviation test community’s premier large-force test event. This year’s was the...

U.S. Navy’s largest Gray Flag tests allied aircraft and weapons connections across more than 750 sorties before deployment

Military aircraft flew more than 750 sorties during Gray Flag 2026 to uncover integration faults before deployed aviators encounter them.