An Israeli Air Force F-15D takes off during the Blue Flag exercise on Uvda Air Force Base, Israel, Nov. 26, 2013. Blue Flag was a multinational aerial warfare exercise hosted by Israel, which promoted improved operational capability, combat effectiveness, understanding and cooperation between the U.S., Israel, Greece, and Italy. The exercise was conducted from Nov. 24-28 and further strengthened the long-lasting relationship between the partner nations, while ensuring regional peace and stability.