Have you seen or heard fighter jets flying over Tacoma lately? here’s why

A squadron of military fighter jets flew over Tacoma on Tuesday, the second group of foreign aircraft to fly through Joint Base Lewis-McChord this year en route to a training exercise in Alaska.

The planes flew into the Tacoma area over Memorial Day weekend, Joe Kubistek, a spokesman for JBLM’s 62nd Airlift Wing, said Friday. The Indian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force are participating in the training, but Kubistek could not confirm which foreign military stopped at the base this week.

More than 100 aircraft from three nations, including the United States, are participating in the exercise, called Red Flag-Alaska, from May 30 to June 14, according to the US Air Force. It is meant to replicate the stresses that warfighters would face in combat and ensure that US forces can integrate with allies in future conflicts.

Kubistek said it’s not unusual for military aircraft traveling across the United States to stop through JBLM to refuel and rest before continuing on.

This is the second iteration of Red Flag-Alaska this year. Tacomaans could have heard the sound of Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons ripping through the skies in early April ahead of the first round of the training exercise. US Air Force Col. Paul Townsend and Italian Air Force Col. Vito Cracas exchanged gifts at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska before kick-off.

More than 1,000 people on average and up to 60 aircraft are deployed to Eielson Air Force Base, southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, for each Red Flag exercise, according to the base. Another 500 people and 40 aircraft are deployed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.

Participants are organized into “red” offensive forces, “blue” coalition forces and “white” forces, which represent a neutral control agency, according to Eielson Air Force Base. Red forces consist of air-to-air fighters, ground control interception and surface air defense to simulate threats posed by potentially hostile nations. Blue forces include US and allied tactical and support units. The Red and Blue forces meet in a simulated hostile training environment, so the onus is on the White forces to control the simulated war and ensure safety.

Up to 70 jet fighters can operate in the same airspace at the height of the exercise, according to the base.

Training moved to Alaska in 1992 from Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines after the June 15, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. At the time the exercise was known as Cope Thunder. It was renamed Red Flag-Alaska in 2006.

A third iteration of Red Flag-Alaska is scheduled for August 15-30. It’s unclear whether that would bring more foreign aircraft through the Pierce County skies.