Eagles from the desert take to skies over Britain on Exercise Cobra Warrior
The Royal Saudi Air Force's F-15SA multi-role combat aircraft has made its debut in the UK on the largest exercise run by the RAF.
It marks the first time the Saudis have flown in their highly advanced jet - an upgraded derivative of the US Air Force's F-15E Strike Eagle - for Exercise Cobra Warrior.
Their deputy commander, Lieutenant Colonel Faisal Turki, said his personnel had been "working hard hand in hand, wing tip to wing tip with our colleagues of the RAF".
He explained how the exercise provides a unique landscape for his crews to train in.
"This is the first time with the F-15s, so it's a different environment than what we have in the region and at home," Lt Col Turki said.
"We're looking forward to it and really happy to be here."
Exercise Cobra Warrior is designed to train multiple nations in tactical air warfighting operations.
Multiple aircraft took off from RAF Waddington for the first mission, where a "Blue vs Red" exercise took place over the North Sea.
Group Captain Jim Calvert, the exercise director for Cobra Warrior, said between 40 and 50 aircraft would be taking part.
"They're going to be having a big fight over the North Sea making sure that we're able to execute our role as Blue air, the good team, to defend in this case the UK - but it could equally be any other partner nation," he said.
Exercise Cobra Warrior 25-1 is operating out of the main hub at RAF Waddington, but is also relying on other British bases, including RAF Brize Norton, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Coningsby, RAF Marham and RAF Leeming.
It's a multi-national exercise that sees an integration of both Nato and non-Nato partners.
Other countries sending contingents to take part in this exercise are the Turkish air force with three F-16 Fighting Falcons and the French air force with three Rafales.
The British contingent includes Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby, plus Joint Aviation Command UK Helicopters with its Chinooks, based out of RAF Leeming.
French MRTT, RAF C17, RAF A400M and an RAF Voyager will support the fast jets by conducting air-to-air refuelling.
The aim of the exercise is to see how different countries operate and how they can work together.
"This is about international integration, it's about relationship building and understanding how our more diverse platforms can operate together," Gp Capt Calvert explained.
"Rather than just the individual nations themselves, it's when you put them all together. It’' a coalition of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and the UK.
"That's an unusual one if we were to go and do an operation together, but it shows that it can be done."
Cobra Warrior will also see various elements from across Global Enablement and Combat Readiness, providing the vital capabilities required for success.
This includes cyber communication specialists from 90 Signals Unit setting up and maintaining secure communication links throughout.
There are also maritime assets taking part across parts of the North Sea and many land forces operating in locations such as Otterburn, RAF Spadeadam and a wide range of sites across Northumberland.
The RAF's Combat Readiness Force lead element will be participating, along with its Tactical Air Traffic Controllers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, operating in the challenging environments of northern England.
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