RIYADH: Personnel from the Royal Saudi Air Force joined their counterparts from several allied nations on Monday at the start of Desert Flag, a multinational military exercise taking place at Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE. Over the next three weeks the forces will take part in various flight-related exercises, including defensive and offensive counter-air operations, close-air support, and combat search and rescue missions, the Saudi Press Agency reported. In addition to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the participating nations include Oman, Turkey, the US, France and South Korea. Lt. Col. Adel bin Saeed Abu Malha, the commander of the participating Saudi air force group, said the exercise is designed to facilitate the exchange of military expertise in strategic planning and execution within a simulated wartime environment. It also aims to enhance the operational readiness and combat efficiency of air and technical-support crews and to bolster the ties between the nations’ forces, he added. Six Saudi F-15SA fighter jets, with their full air, technical and support crews, are taking part in the exercise, Abu Malha said. The Saudi air force group arrived at Al-Dhafra Air Base last week to begin their preparations. They were greeted by Brig. Gen. Khalid Alhajiri, the military attache at the Saudi Embassy in the UAE.