International participants have commenced preparations for Britain’s largest air exercise exercise, Cobra Warrior.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has dispatched the first aircraft to RAF Coningsby and RAF Waddington, where they will be stationed throughout the exercise.
The Indian, Finnish, and Belgian Air forces will soon follow suit, joining the UK-based aircraft from the United States Air Force and a variety of RAF aircraft.
Cobra Warrior, which is the Royal Air Force’s largest air exercise and takes place twice a year, is designed to train participants in high-intensity, large-scale tactical air warfighting operations. The exercise, which will be directed by staff at RAF Waddington, will run from March 2 to March 24 and will involve 70 aircraft.
Group Captain Mark Lorriman-Hughes, the RAF Waddington Station Commander, expressed his delight in welcoming international colleagues to RAF Waddington, emphasizing the value of this biannual event as an opportunity for international allies to train together and develop operational tactics in the air.
This year, the Finnish, Indian, and Royal Saudi Air Forces are participating for the first time. The Saudis will fly six Typhoons from RAF Coningsby, while the Indian Air Force will fly five Mirage 2000. The Belgian Air Force will have six F-16s based at RAF Waddington, and the Finnish Air Force will have six F-18s. The Finnish participation is part of a larger training activity in support of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, known as JEF Warrior.
RAF Voyager aircraft, flying from RAF Brize Norton, will provide air-to-air refuelling support for the fast jets. Additionally, UK Joint Helicopter Command aircraft will participate, basing at RAF Leeming.
The RAF’s Air Mobility Force will also take part in the exercise, deploying elements of 16 Air Assault Bde during an associated ground mission as part of the overall exercise scenario.
I wonder if we’ll see any over the North Pennines? US fighters and occasionally Typhoons fly low overhead periodically, but mostly helicopters in this neck of the woods.
Came out the gym the other week and saw an osprey flying overhead, wasn’t expecting that.
Chinnoks, Wildcats and the odd Apache. Mostly during the summer months.
We get Kites and Buzzards🤣🤣🤣
Wot,no shitehawks??? Humph, shitehawks free zone.Devistating bombers.🤪👍
In my hometown of Torquay there are plenty of “shite hawks” , chuffing Herring gulls🤬 Luckily, round here they are absent and the bird life is a lot more serene👍
🤣🤣
I live in the Brecon Beacons, it’s like Fairford here at times. A400, C130, Typhoon, Osprey, F35, Chinook, Merlin….. a lot at very low level!
It should prove to be a very interesting if not noisy few weeks ahead!
I always look forward to the show, I have a great view from my home office window, I often wonder if the aircrew use a lone Scots pine in the area as a turning point?👍
Lucky you.
In more ways than one Daniele, the Black Mountains are very scenic👍
I also live in the Brecon Beacons National Park, near Crickhowell,I love watching the RAF and Navy aircraft / helicopters, going low along the Usk valley, as well over our house at very low level.
Tis a lovely place to live with the benefit of an occasional free airshow👍
I saw 4 Belgium F16’s going north and low up the Derwent valley yesterday (Friday) 👍👌 one is the X fighter design 👌
I would if we embarrass India on these to let them know to stop dabbling with Russia etc or if we hold back tactics etc so they don’t sell it China and Russia. Can see why we’d want India onside but couldn’t trust them
I agree the Indians are not to be trusted at all.
In Indian nothing is as it seems and everything is for sale.
Demonstrated a ‘sound’ sense of the absurd when addressed by Lavrov, though. 😂
Comical Ali’s spiritual successor?
In Germany, there will be a large scale Nato excercise (Air Defender 2023) with 200 combat planes (100 from the US ANG alone) in June.
The amounts and scale of exercises is really remembering of the cold war.
Agree but the key difference between NATO and Russia is the fact NATO forces train and undertake dissimilar air combat and international exercises. Russia’s air force have clearly demonstrated they are not trained or able to prosecute a strategic air campaign.
70 aircraft is now a massive exercise? From a number of countries that no one in their right mind would trust But I guess if that’s what you got that’s what you got
KSA just signed up for an MOU on future jet development with the UK …looks like Tempest will carry on where Tornado and Typhoon led. The RSAF do love the Tonka and Typhoon… As to trust…Realpolitik always wins. Arms sales by UK PLC help to keep around 5 pence off of the basic rate of income tax. So ask the question of White Van Man , his missus and 2 kids if they trust nations and are worried about UK Weapons being used against others Vis paying 25 pence on the basic rate of income tax and they will be… Read more »
I disagree there are plenty who have a conscience who can’t afford it in the UK.
Do I want to pay more tax nope – would I have done over the last few years if it gave more creedance to our defence selling/integrity & our NHS – yes.
As for white van man -I don’t think we should be extohling the virtues of that particular type – if anything the antithesis of Britishness.
Capitalists posing as social working class ,moaning about everything and making sure they pay as little as possible towards it….hypocrytes all.
Hey racist boy, any more anti-white and ageist comments you want to post, again, prior to the mods deleting them yet again? Come on my little racist show your true sad self…….
The Saudi regime is a barbaric government, that’s propped up and kept in power by Western countries that claim to love freedom, democracy and liberty…but its all good of the regime is a friend or does business with western elites..hypocrisy at its finest!!!
hope MOD knows what it is doing. india may come to be more allied to the West as china expands. with saudi, we will be held accountable and must walk a careful path, contrast this with the reluctance to supply top end kit to ukraine which had free elections and has been invaded.
India participating whilst abstaining from a UN vote against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Not sure India can be relied upon as a close ally or security partner.
I guess we need to keep them close as their support in any conflict with China will be essential.
India is getting cheap fuel from Russia, they won’t be impressed with Russian military equipment since Ukraine. the messaging about food embargo and it’s just another western war has not been managed by the west. Agree not a top tier partner yet.