Nellis, Fort Irwin conducting joint air combat drills

Fighter jet noise will increase over Southern Nevada through Nov. 9 while Nellis Air Force Base conducts combat training exercises with Fort Irwin, Calif.

Nellis officials issued a news release saying residents in Southern Nevada and Southern California "will see increased military aircraft activity" when warplanes fly between 8 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. during the Green Flag exercise, which began Friday and runs through Nov. 9.

The Green Flag flight path includes areas within the Las Vegas Valley as fighter jets and support aircraft fly to and from Nellis Air Force Base and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin.

That means military aircraft will use air space near Mount Charleston and north of Pahrump in Nye County in addition to air space over the Mojave Desert near Fort Irwin in California's Inyo and San Bernardino counties.

The Green Flag West exercise is being conducted by the 549th Combat Training Squadron at Nellis and the 12 Combat Training Squadron at Fort Irwin to provide realistic close-air support training for airmen and soldiers preparing to deploy for combat operations in Southwest Asia.

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.