Hundreds of miles from the sea in the United States, Royal Navy Sea Harriers battled with opponents in one of the most exacting tests of air power.

A short hop from the bright lights of Las Vegas, over the deserts of Nevada, pilots and crew of 800 Naval Air Squadron made their debut against the pride of military fliers from four nations.

For 12 days in August some 100 jet aircraft tangled in the skies over Nellis Air Base, Nevada.

Red Flag is the largest air exercise, but this year’s ‘battle’ was the first time the Sea Harriers have taken part, joining colleagues from the Israeli and German air forces and American F-16s from the ‘Aggressor Squadron’.

Six of the British single-seat fighters headed off to the western USA accompanied by their ground crew and staff.

The passage to the States was an adventure in itself. It took stopovers in the Azores and Maine in New England, as well as regular refuelling from RAF VC10s, to get the Harriers to Nevada, while supporting crew and equipment were shipped out in another VC10 and C-130 Hercules aircraft.

The Royal Naval team soon found the odds were stacked against the Harriers – 800 NAS was picked to play the role of former Eastern Bloc attackers during Red Flag.

The attackers were outnumbered four to one throughout the exercise – and the Sea Harrier was denied full use of its radar and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles.

Pilots were even told to mimic tactics of their former foes, rather than make use of the Sea Harrier’s legendary manoeuvrability.

Despite these handicaps – and debilitating temperatures which touched 40C at times – 800 NAS has returned from the States with its reputation held high and important lessons learned.

Pilot Lt Craig Compain said the squadron had managed to adjust to new tactics and doctrine thousands of miles from its Yeovilton home remarkably quickly.

The ground crew’s unstinting efforts ensured a punishing flight rate, with two sorties each day by four Harriers on each occasion, was maintained throughout the exercise.

Lt Compain added: “It’s a true testament to the maintenance crews that over the entire exercise, not one sortie was lost to an aircraft not being serviceable.”

Being just outside the gambling capital of the United States, the aircrew couldn’t resist the odd sortie from the Nellis air base into Las Vegas.

For staff officer Lt Ian Peattie, a visit to Las Vegas was a must – to tie the knot to fiancée Anita.

And being Las Vegas, Elvis – or rather a Cliff Richard lookalike dressed as the King – had to be there for the nuptials, as well as the core of 800 NAS.

Friends unable to attend in person could tune in to the ceremony over the Internet, as the ceremony was broadcast live on the web.

“It was a truly unique wedding, witnessed by the squadron officers in mess dress, senior rates dressed as Elvis and the staff officers dressed as cowboys,” said Lt Compain.

“We were all entertained by an Elvis impersonator, who brought the house down with his rendition of Viva Las Vegas.”

It has been a busy year for 800 NAS, with Exercise Red Flag following hot on the heels of Exercise Flying Fish in the Far East.

Five out of six members of the 120-strong squadron shipped out to Las Vegas within days of arriving back in the UK from the ten-day Far Eastern exercise.

And for 45 of the squadron, the tempo has not dropped off, as three Sea Harriers remained behind in the United States to take part in another series of exercises.

After a brief break back in the UK, crew returned to the USA to join their aircraft for High Rider, at China Lake Air Base, to test their bombing and weaponry skills.