THE TWICE ANNUAL NATO exercise centres once again on RAF Lossiemouth this month – to the delight of hundreds of aircraft enthusiasts.
Scotland’s only remaining RAF air base will host a large contingent of Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) as well as fast jets during Joint Warrior, taking place from October 8 to 21.
The tri-service multinational exercise is conducted in the spring and autumn each year – and much of the air activity is focussed on Lossiemouth with visits from P-8A and Atlantique MPA’s while the base’s resident Typhoons will also take part accompanied this time around by a visiting detachment of F-16s from Portugal.
Flight Lieutenant Guy Radcliffe, the Exercise Operations Officer at RAF Lossiemouth, said: “The hosting of these Exercise participants will involve every section at RAF Lossiemouth.
“In order to facilitate each visiting units’ individual requirements for the Exercise, planning has been ongoing since last spring to ensure that we are ready.
“It will be an extremely busy fortnight for the Station and the airfield itself – particular challenges will involve working with different coalition countries, operating large aircraft from an airfield which is set up for much smaller, fast jets and fitting it all around RAF Lossiemouth’s own ongoing high operational tempo, essential training and QRA.”
The aircraft from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, USA and Portugal will begin arriving at RAF Lossiemouth from tomorrow (October 5) and all crews will be staying in local hotels for the duration of the Exercise.
Normally RAF Lossiemouth operates its flying programme from 0800 to 2300, however during this Exercise some night flying may take place outside this period.
There will be some departures and recoveries during the weekend but these should be single aircraft moves. Engineers will service the aircraft as they land and prior to departures and this may take place between the hours of 2300 and 0800, all steps will be taken to minimise the associated noise.
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