Exercise Cobra Warrior 2023/1

During March the Royal Air Force hosted Exercise Cobra Warrior 23/1 at RAF Waddington on Lincolnshire, the first of two sessions of the now biannual event, the largest air exercise run by the air arm of the British Forces. The exercise is designed to train participants in high intensity large force tactical air war fighting operations known as Combined Air Operations, or COMAO for short. Over 70 aircraft took part flying from a variety of bases in the UK and northern Europe, all being controlled by directing staff at RAF Waddington.

First time participants were contingents from the Finnish, Indian and Royal Saudi Air Forces. Based at Waddington were five Dassault MIRAGE 2000I/TI jets from the Indian Air Force, six Boeing F-18C HORNETs from the Finnish Air Force and six Lockheed Martin F-16AM FIGHTING FALCONs from the Belgian Air Component, all supported with air-to-air fuelling from tanker of the RAF, French Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force flying from their home bases to the exercise area off the Northumberland coast over the North Sea. The Saudis brought six Eurofighter TYPHOONs to nearby RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, utilising the extensive support available at the RAF’s main Typhoon maintenance hub. The Finnish participation was part of a wider training activity in support of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force known as ‘JEF Warrior’. US Air Force Boeing F-15E Eagles and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II also participated, flying from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.