The US Air Force takes the maxim “you only fight as well as you train” very seriously. Since 1975, it has been holding massive Red Flag exercises to prepare pilots for combat, while Black Flag (formally established in 2020) exercises focus on testing and innovation in new environments. Red Flag exercises build readiness, and Black Flag exercises build capability. Air Force exercises are made to be realistic, and it even converts retired F-16 Fighting Falcons into drone aerial targets for training (previously, it used F-4 Phantoms and other old fighter jets).