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Aviation Photoshoots 2006 All Galleries
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Red Flag 2006 - 06-01 - Nellis AFB, Nevada

108 images Created 30 Jun 2010

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  • Captain Molly Marshall adjust knobs on the overhead console while maintaining a heading to stay within the predetermined oval flightpath above the Nellis Range Complex. During the exercise, KC-135 tankers fly predetermined routes awaiting fighters from the 'Red Team' and 'Blue Team' in need of fuel. KC-135 tankers flying with various Air National Guard units throught the US are amongst some of the oldest aircraft still in service.
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  • Captain Molly Marshall taps the throttles to stay within the predetermined oval flightpath above the Nellis Range Complex. During the exercise, KC-135 tankers fly predetermined routes awaiting fighters from the 'Red Team' and 'Blue Team' in need of fuel. The KC-135R tankers flying with various Air National Guard units throughout the US are amongst some of the oldest aircraft still in service.
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  • MSgt Sheri Shaw rests her chin while cautiously guiding the refueling probe into an F-16's recepticle high over the Nellis Range. Located in the rear belly of the KC-135, the boomer lies flat while 'flying' the boom into the receptacle controlling two wings half way up the refueling probe. Without the support aircraft assisting red and blue air, Red Flag would be nowhere near as successful a program as it is today.
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  • Taking on the callsign 'Anchor Two-Five', LtCol Patricia Morales reaches for the communications panel prior to landing at Nellis AFB concluding the day's mission. Without reverse thrust capabilities of newer aircraft, landing the heavy KC-135 can prove to be a daunting challenge.
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  • Boomer, MSgt Sheri Shaw, works out the fuel distribution figures after refueling a series of F-16's from Hill AFB. Each time an aircraft receives fuel, the boomer records the aircraft's identification number, squadron, type and the amount of fuel transferred in pounds.
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  • LtCol Patricia Morales, Capt Molly Marshall and MSgt Sheri Shaw made up the first all-female KC-135R flight crew for the Washington ANG 141ARW on 30 January 2006. Jokingly called the squadron's first 'Unmanned' refueling mission, the crew made up Anchor Two-Five tending to F-16's from the 388th Wing's 427th Squadron from Hill Air Force Base.
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  • LtCol Patty Morales, Capt Molly Marshall and MSgt Sheri Shaw made up the first all-female KC-135 flight crew for the Washington ANG 141ARW on 01/30/06. Jokingly called the squadron's first 'Unmanned' refueling mission, the crew made up Anchor Two-Five tending to F-16's from the 388th Wing's 427th Squadron from Hill Air Force Base.
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  • Utilizing a KC-135 from the 186th Mississippi ANG Refueling Wing, the aircrew of the 141st from Fairchild, Washington take enjoyment from a pair of fuzzy dice iconic of the Las Vegas area. Although 'Sin City' is located nearby and proves quite tempting for pilots and aircrew to visit, the grueling Red Flag schedule prohibits most from making a habit of throwing the dice.
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  • A KC-135 from the 141st Air National Guard Aerial Refueling Wing based at Fairchild, Washington takes to the sky to begin the nighttime Red Flag exercise. Typically there are two sorties each day with the first concluding shortly after noontime and the second beginning just before sunset for nighttime training.
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  • MSgt Larry Stockton prepares to acknowledge aircraft entering the range should 'Challiss', the awaiting E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, have unforseen communication problems. Besides the typical challenges Blue Air faces against Red Air, working together and providing redundant resources is just one of the many aspects for which the US Forces train.
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  • Polished brass knobs help make up some of the controls of this KC-135. Serving the military since 1956, these aircraft are some of the oldest airframes flying today. While the Red Team and the Blue Team fight it out in the skies above the Nellis Range Complex, the support crews of the countless other aircraft including this KC-135 insure the exercise can continue.
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  • A Pittsburgh KC-135 from the 171st Aerial Refueling Wing shows off its nose art.
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  • A Pittsburgh KC-135 from the 171st Aerial Refueling Wing shows off its nose art with a tanker from the 141st ARW based at Fairchild, Washington quietly sitting on the ramp. For each Red Flag sortie, a tanker is assigned to either Red Air or Blue Air to replenish fighters out on the Nellis Range. Typically, two tankers are provided for Blue Air due to the size of the force and one tanker for Red Air.
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  • An F-16CJ from Cannon Air Force Base blasts off from runway 3L on its way to the Nellis Range Complex. F-16CJ's from the 53rd Wing at Cannon have implemented the Link 16 SNIPER XR Advanced Targeting Pod ATP and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS).
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  • A group of four F-16C's return from the Nellis Range after completing a sortie. The objective of Red Flag is not only to familiarize pilots with a combat environment, but to introduce 'Blue Four' to these challenging conditions. Seen here flying in left echelon formation, 'Blue four' is so named for being the least experienced pilot typically flying in the fourth trailing position.
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  • A Nellis-based F-16C from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron flies loose formation showing off a LANTIRN infrared navigation and targeting system used in conjunction with an integrated holographic display. Not only does the 422nd test new equipment for use in wartime scenarios, but occasionally the unit will also fly sorties during Red Flag exercises to view and make improvements on tactical maneuvers.
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  • An O/A-10A Warthog from the 57th Wing sets up for short final on Runway 3L. The responsibility of the A-10 at Red Flag is to take out enemy tanks scattered throughout the Nellis Range and to provide support to ground troops. Besides participating in Red Flag exercises, Nellis-based Warthogs are tasked with targeting and gunnery exercises like Hawgsmoke which challanges squadrons and their pilots in a sort of "A-10 Olympics".
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  • As the sun sets, an F-15C from the 57th Wing turns final to land at Nellis AFB.
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  • Just one of dozens of aircraft to launch at night, this F-15 takes off from Nellis Air Force Base on its way to the Nellis Range Complex (NRC) for a few hours of nighttime combat. Compared to the Nellis Red Flag Exercise, Red Flag Alaska will provide five and a half times the amount of airspace with 66,000 square miles compared to the current 12,000 square miles offered by the NRC.
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  • An F-15E Strike Eagle from the 57th Wing launches past the endless flightline of participating aircraft leaving the Las Vegas skyline in the background. The darker grey Strike Eagle boasts larger fuel tanks and all-weather strike capability as well as adding air-to-ground targeting options unlike the F-15C which is primarily for air-to-air combat.
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  • A unique camouflage scheme adorns the F-16C's from the 64th Aggressor Squadron. These aircraft make up the 'Red Team' and are use to intercept aircraft from the opposing 'Blue Team' as imaginary countries are either protected or invaded depending on the scenario. Pilot's belonging to the 64th AGRS are trained to replicate tactics flown by enemy forces.
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  • Flying loose formation is this F-15C Eagle of the 33rd Fighter Wing, 58th Fighter Squadron based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The two green stars located on the nose in front of the cockpit indicate that this F-15C was the airframe used to shoot down two MiG-29's during the first Gulf War. Just one of the many successes of past Red Flag training exercises.
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  • One of four different camouflage paint schemes adopted by the 64th Aggressor Squadron adorn this F-16C Viper. Maintaining a relatively low operating cost and providing extreme maneuverability and targeting tactics, the F-16 is the perfect aircraft to assume the aggressor role of the Red Team. To combat similar aircraft from the Blue Team, the 65th Aggressor Squadron composed of F-15C's has been reestablished and will be flying similar camouflage schemes.
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  • One of the many different camoflouges used by the 64th Aggressor Squadron is illustrated by the F-16C wearing desert camo. Other variations include a blue-grey scheme and a green-brown scheme.
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  • With refueling door open, this F-16C from the 64th Aggressor Squadron prepares to take on fuel from an awaiting KC-135 Stratotanker.
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  • An adversary F-16 representing the Red Team blasts off from Runway 3L at Nellis AFB. In the background is just a small sample of the aircraft present during Red Flag Exercises.
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  • Reestablished on 12 January 2006, this F-15C Eagle dawns the typical camouflage worn by the 64th Aggressor Squadron F-16's. Going by the call sign 'Mig-7', this is the first of 22 F-15's expected to take on the adversary role of fighters from the 65th. Paint schemes will resemble those of the 64th so as to include a blue-grey camouflage as well as the desert tan.
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  • 79th Fighter Squadron F-16D from Shaw AFB
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  • O/A-10A Warthogs return to Nellis Air Force Base just after sundown.
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  • This F-15E is from the 90th Fighter Squadron operating under the 3rd Wing stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska. Although seen here taking off from runway 3L at Nellis AFB, fighter pilots from Alaska are beginning to feel right at home with the newly developed Red Flag Alaska replacing the already successful Cope Thunder exercises. Many aspects of Cope Thunder will remain unchanged despite the new name however, the name change will provide for a more integrated training environment.
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  • Visiting from Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) E-3 Sentry from the 552 Air Combat Wing takes off from runway 3R on its way out to the Nellis Range Complex. During Red Flag exercises, most of the larger aircraft such as the heavy bombers, tankers and those providing electronic support head to the range first in order to best direct the front line fighters. The E-3 Sentry, with its enormous radome, can scan a 250 square mile radius providing up to the minute information on allied and enemy locations.
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  • Utilizing a 1960's Boeing 707 airframe, describing the E-3 Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft as being a slightly modified variant would be a gross understatement. At an individual cost of about $270 million, the Sentry consists of a flight crew of four plus a mission crew of 13-19 specialists depending on the mission. As an Airborne surveillance, command, control and communications aircraft, the E-3 can scan from the Earth's surface up into the stratosphere, over land or water for both friendly and enemy forces.
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  • Flying at extremely high altitudes, the B-2 Stealth bomber has been at the forefront of setting great expectations. Part of the 509th Bombing Wing at Whitman AFB Missouri, these bombers are tasked with flying extreme distances. During bombing runs over Afghanistan, B-2's were flying halfway across the world and back incurring 36-hour long missions between a crew of two. High over the Nellis Range Complex, two B-2A 'Spirit' stealth bombers await clearance to drop precision guided weaponry.
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  • At an average cost of $2 billion dollars by 1998 standards, the Northrop Grumman B-2A stealth bomber is more costly than a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and just under double its weight in gold. Only twenty-one B-2A's were built, all stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri under the command of the 509th Bombing Wing. Despite the limited production of the YB-49 Flying Wing in the late 1940's, the B-2A is the first flying wing designed aircraft to enter service.
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  • Just as the United States Navy has done for over 200 years, the air force began commissioning certain aircraft by giving them individual names. Here the B-2A 'Spirit' stealth bomber named 'Spirit of Kitty Hawk', lifts off from runway 3R at Nellis Air Force Base. For this particular exercise held in early 2006, four B-2A bombers from the 509th Bombing Wing, normally stationed at Whiteman AFB, attended providing ground support to advancing warfighters.
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  • The unmistakable silhouette of the Batman-like B-2A stealth bomber takes to the evening skies to begin the second round of the day's Red Flag exercises. Even during nighttime missions, nothing is held back. Aircraft numbers remain the same, missions and goals are increased in intensity and pilots are still expected to meet their respective objectives.
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  • Kicking off one of the many intense nighttime missions, an RC-135 V/W 'Rivet Joint' electronic surveillance aircraft takes to the skies. Typically, the larger aircraft such as the refuelers, electronic reconnaissance and bombers head to the Nellis Range Complex prior to the fighters due to increased loiter times. The RC-135 specializes in the gathering of enemy information and relates that knowledge to friendly forces.
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  • Turning to final approach, an Eglin Air Force Base stationed F-15C Eagle from the 33rd Fighter Wing, 58th Fighter Squadron returns from the Nellis Range. Aircraft from the 33rd in Florida and the 57th at Nellis typically work together as their roles both involve weapons testing and aircraft development. Red Flag exercises provide both squadrons with the ability to witness as well as try out new aerial tactics and maneuvers in a real world combat environment. Seen here is F-15C 85-0102, nicknamed 'Gulf Spirit' which shot down two IrAF Su-22s when flown by Capt Anthony R. Murphy of the 36th FW, 53rd FS on 7 Feb, 1991, during Operation Desert Storm and an IrAF MiG-23 on 29 Jan, 1994 with an AIM-7M.
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  • A rear view of an F-117A Nighthawk shortly after take off shows the heat dispersing exhaust designed to reduce the heat signature sought out by heat-seeking missiles and infrared vision scopes. One of the military's best-kept secrets, the F-117A Nighthawk has seen action all over the world and many speculate it will soon be put to rest. According to proposed defense budgets, the F-117 is scheduled to be retired by the end of 2007 in favor of the F-22 Raptor.
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  • Utilizing sharply angled faceted edges, the F-117A Nighthawk introduced the world to the reality of a new kind of technology, stealth. Stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, these aircraft remained a mystery until their unveiling in the late 1980's. Today the technology brought to light by the F-117 is becoming outdated and faceted edges are no longer needed to obtain stealth characteristics.
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  • Silhouetted against the Las Vegas skyline in a surreal irony of events, the normally invisible black F-117A Nighthawk can be seen resting atop it's very own heat plume just beneath the Rio Hotel in the background. Able to carry two 2000-pound bombs in an enclosed bay, the F-117 is able to remain undetected for almost the entire duration of the mission. Currently there are 54 F-117's in service stationed at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
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  • Two groups of four F-15C Eagles prepare to depart runway 3L with the ever growing Las Vegas skyline in the background. A typical mission during Red Flag can consist of more than 70 aircraft including fighters, bombers, aerial refuelers, electronic countermeasures, aggressors, airborne command and control and others. Though the majority of aircraft occupying the range are fighters, it takes all of these various support aircraft to insure a successful and realistic mission.
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  • Staring down the length of runway 3L, four F-15C Eagles can be seen in this unusual view prior to a nighttime mission launch. Within seconds, each F-15C will engage afterburners and take off one by one. Once airborne they will join up in an echelon or fingertip formation on their way out to the range. For nighttime missions they will return one by one on a direct approach as opposed to daytime missions where they will return in echelon formation and conduct an overhead break prior to landing.
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  • Starting out as a group of four, the second F-15 climbs to altitude silhouetted against the late evening sky with the Las Vegas skyline below. Following closely behind, the third F-15 is at rotation and a fourth can be seen at the far end of the runway with afterburners lit. Because the Nellis Range Complex is mostly uninhabited, nighttime missions can be extremely difficult with the majority of concentration focused on night vision technology.
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  • Aircraft as far as the eye could see rest on the tarmac awaiting thir next mission. These F-15C's were from Eglin AFB.
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  • A 'Blue Team' F-16 from the 388th Wing, 421st Fighter Squadron, the "Black Widows", flies high above the Nevada desert during a training exercise. Taking a break from the action below the clouds, this F-16 from Hill Air Force Base prepares to take on fuel from an awaiting KC-135 Tanker from the Washington State Air National Guard.
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  • Approaching the boom, an F-16CG from Hill Air Force Base in Utah prepares to take on fuel. As a member of the Blue Team, F-16's such as these typically arrive on station in groups of four. Two aircraft on each side of the KC-135R rotate through in attempt to make the transfer as quick as possible in order to get back to the fight. This particular F-16 is from the388th Fighter Wing, 421st Fighter Squadron receiving fuel from KC-135R from the 141st Aerial Refueling Wing stationed in Fairchild, Washington.
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  • A 'Blue Team' F-16 from the 388th Wing, 421st Fighter Squadron, the "Black Widows", flies high above the Nevada desert during a training exercise. Taking a break from the action below the clouds, this F-16 from Hill Air Force Base prepares to take on fuel from an awaiting KC-135 Tanker from the Washington State Air National Guard.
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  • Two F-16C's from Hill Air Force Base fly tight formation during a shallow banking turn. Noticeable on the nearest pylon is a long dart-like probe called the Nellis Air Combat Training System (NACTS). The NACTS pod can track up to 100 individual aircraft denoting their altitude, air speed, range positioning and more for a complete assessment of actions to be reviewed in detail at the mass debrief following the mission.
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  • A 'Blue Team' F-16 from the 388th Wing, 421st Fighter Squadron, the "Black Widows", flies high above the Nevada desert during a training exercise. Taking a break from the action below the clouds, this F-16 from Hill Air Force Base prepares to take on fuel from an awaiting KC-135 Tanker from the Washington State Air National Guard.
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  • A 'Blue Team' F-16 from the 388th Wing, 421st Fighter Squadron, the "Black Widows", flies high above the Nevada desert during a training exercise. Taking a break from the action below the clouds, this F-16 from Hill Air Force Base prepares to take on fuel from an awaiting KC-135 Tanker from the Washington State Air National Guard.
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  • Taking on fuel from a KC-135R from the 141st Aerial Refueling Wing, this F-16 from the 421st Fighter Squadron, the 'Black Widows' demonstrates a basic weapons load. On stations three and seven reside two 2000lb GBU-31 inactive bombs with stations six and four carrying extended range fuel tanks. One of the most popular aircraft ever built, the F-16 is utilized by more than 25 different countries including the U.S. and was the first aircraft designed as a 'fly-by-wire' aircraft.
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  • A 'Blue Team' F-16 from the 388th Wing, 421st Fighter Squadron, the "Black Widows", flies high above the Nevada desert during a training exercise. Taking a break from the action below the clouds, this F-16 from Hill Air Force Base prepares to take on fuel from an awaiting KC-135 Tanker from the Washington State Air National Guard.
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  • The Royal Air Force participated in the Red Flag exercises with their aerial electronic platform, the Nimrod R-1.
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  • Stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, this RC-135V/W 'Rivet Joint' electronic surveillance aircraft is from the 55th Wing, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron. Sometimes referred to as 'hogs' due to the extended nose and prominent 'cheeks', the RC-135 is capable of providing indications about the location and intentions of enemy forces as well as warning friendly forces of threatening activity. There are currently 15 RC-135's in service and all are based at Offutt AFB.
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  • F-15E from the 90th Fighter Squadron stationed at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska blasts off from runway 3L. Encompassing a 66,000 square mile area, Red Flag Alaska will provide an immense geographical change for those accustomed to the typical Red Flag exercises held at Nellis AFB. Just as the Nellis Range Complex offers a diversely hostile desert environment, the Alaskan wilderness offers much of the same on the opposite end of the weather scale.
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  • A-10C AF 82-0654 incorrectly designated AF 81-0654
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  • A-10C AF 82-0654 incorrectly designated AF 81-0654
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  • Based at Key Field, Mississippi, the 186th Air Refueling Wing took part alongside the 141st ARW of Washington State. This KC-135 took on the call sign of 'Anchor Two-One' as it awaits F-16's from the 'Blue Team' over the Nellis Range.
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