Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have recently landed at a Polish Air Base to commence joint training exercises with Poland and other NATO allies, as confirmed in a press release.
Travelling from RAF Akrotiri, their present base, to Poznan, these jets were joined by a Globemaster C-17 transport aircraft. Upon landing, they were warmly received by their Polish military counterparts.
The two-week deployment, termed “Op Carson”, will involve pilots from the UK, Poland, Italy, and Spain participating in combat air training. The focus will be on practising dogfights against a variety of aircraft to refine tactics. Concurrently, Close Air Support (CAS) training will take place, with UK and US Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) directing the manoeuvres of combat aircraft.
Sqn Ldr Hunter, leading the Typhoon detachment, stated in the press release, “Over the next fortnight, we will be working closely with our allies practising engaging targets beyond visual range and simulating various possible combat scenarios with forces both on the ground and in the air over Eastern skies. We take our role in European security seriously, and these joint exercises only serve to bolster collective defence across the region.”
Supporting this deployment are several UK-based RAF personnel, including engineers, cyberspace communication specialists, and force protection experts, all stationed in Poland to facilitate the training.
Assistance is also being provided by the Tactical Communications Wing, a segment of the 90 Signals Unit. Elaborating on their role, Sergeant Connolly from the detachment mentioned in the press release, “90SU are an effective Global Enablement unit who establish a base for aircraft to operate from. The encompassing capability of all supporting functions is crucial for a successful operational output regardless of where, when or how it is required.”
This exercise aligns with the upcoming Warsaw Security Forum, where Ministers, such as Defence Minister James Heappey, will be in attendance. It’s anticipated that they will emphasise the ongoing support for Ukraine and the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia.
Ahh so they’re from the Cyprus based aircraft. It’s good having aircraft there. Gets RAF people somewhere nice to go outside the uk
I wonder which 5 star hotel the pilots will be staying in🤔🤔