The largest military exercise to be run by the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom for over a decade has begun. Exercise Crimson Warrior is seeing RAF, Royal Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force fighter jets, multi-engine aircraft and helicopters operating from a number of RAF stations across the country.

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Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons (Picture source: RAF)

At its peak, exercise Crimson Warrior will see over 70 aircraft conducting high intensity tactical training together over the North Sea and North East of England.

The exercise is a development of the regular Cobra Warrior exercises, widely regarded as the most challenging training for aircrew and the final step for those seeking to qualify as Qualified Weapons Instructors (QWI), Qualified Multi-engine Tactics Instructors, QWI Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Qualified Space Instructors Course.

The expanded Crimson Warrior includes land based training scenarios for the Lightning stealth fighters and helicopters that will form the Carrier Strike Group Air Wing for next year’s operational deployment of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The Exercise will develop and test the tactical leadership skills of aircrew and supporting personnel within highly complex training scenarios. The aim is to develop their abilities to devise, plan and practice tactics and procedures in a realistic environment against a capable simulated adversary.

The exercise began on the 19th October and will run until 5th November 2020 and is being controlled by specialist directing staff from 92 Squadron at RAF Waddington.

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II (Picture source: U.S Marine Corps)