Double the usual number of missions flown on the latest Cobra Warrior

Eighty aircraft from six different nations across Nato have been testing their skills on Exercise Cobra Warrior – the largest air exercise run by the Royal Air Force.

Directed by the Air and Space Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington, this latest iteration of the large multinational exercise has doubled the missions of past Cobra Warriors, day and night.

The exercise, which usually runs twice a year but was cancelled in the spring, comes to a close this week and has been designed to train RAF personnel in tactical air war operations, focusing on interoperability between different air arms and their respective aircraft.

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Personnel from RAF Waddington are running the operation, with aircrews from RAF stations at Lossiemouth, Brize Norton, Coningsby and Lakenheath taking part.

Several different fighter types have been taking part in the exercise, enabling the combination of diverse fighter tactics and the development of air combat training.

F-35 fighters from the UK, the US and Norway provided a chance to develop cooperation between fourth and fifth-generation jets.

The visiting aircraft have included USAF F-16s from the 31st FW at Italy's Aviano Air Base, Polish F-16s from 3 Squadron, Norwegian F-35As from 332 Squadron, Canadian F/A-18s from 409 Squadron and Finnish F/A-18s from Fighter Squadron 11.

In addition to fighter jets, also taking part in the exercise's flight operations have been air-to-air refuelling tankers, surveillance aircraft, transport aircraft and helicopters.

The Finnish air force posted on X its air-to-air refuelling effort as part of air operations over the North Sea.

Its F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets were refuelled by a Canadian CC-130H Hercules in the footage.

Exercise Cobra Warrior has not only put air assets to the test, but various elements from across Global Enablement and Combat Readiness, delivering vital capabilities required for success.

This has included cyber communication specialists from the RAF's 90 Signals Unit setting up and maintaining secure communication links throughout the exercise.