1/29/2016 RAFSquadronsonExerciseTridentJuncture

RAFSquadronsonExerciseTridentJuncture
05November2015

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RoyalAirForcesquadronshavebeenparticipatinginthelargestNATOexercisesince2002.

Theyformedpartofthe36,000militarypersonneland140aircraftworkingtogetheronExerciseTridentJuncture2015inSpain,Italyand
Portugal.

InademonstrationtoNATOalliesthattheUKtakesitscollectivedefenceobligationsseriously,theRAFcommittedtwosquadronsoffastjets
supportedbyairborneearlywarningandtankeraircrafttotheexercise,developingjointandcombinedwarfareskillswithNATOalliesand
partnernations.

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SquadronLeaderStuLawsonisthechiefplannerforalltheexerciseairactivityinSpain.Hesaid:

ThishasbeenNATOslargestliveexerciseinoveradecade.Ayearintheplanning,bringingallthecomponentstogether,integratingthem
anddeconflictingwithotheraircrafttosafelydeliverlargescalecombinedairoperationshasbeenaconstantchallenge.Personallyitsbeena
greatdealofresponsibilitybutfascinatingtoseeaplanallcometogether.

ThemajorityoffastjetswerebasedatAlbacete,Spainwhichbecametemporaryhometo1(F)Squadronand31Squadronforthedurationof
thethreeweekexercise.OverthecourseofTridentJuncture3000flyingsortieswereplanned,1200inSpainalonewhere120aircraftwere
spreadoversevenairbases.

Flyingupto18trainingmissionsaday,RAFfastjetcrewsflewdayandnightinarangeofscenariosvaryingfromleadingoffensivestrike
packagesof40aircraft,tonightcombatsearchandrescuesupportedbyUSAirForceCV22Ospreytiltrotors.

SqnLdrLawson:

ThetwoRAFsquadronsatAlbacetehavealsosuccessfullycompletedmixedpairscloseairsupportmissionsonthenearbyChinchillarange,
workinginsupportoftheUK4 th ArmouredBrigade,auniqueopportunitytopractisefightingtogetheracrossaircrafttypes.

ThishasallbeensupportedbysterlingworkfromapairofE3DSentriesfrom8SqnandaVoyagertankerfrom10/101Sqnbasedat
TorrejonnearMadrid.Insummary,ExTridentJuncturehasbeenauniquetrainingopportunityfortheRAF.TheUKhasbeenaleadingnation
inanawesomedisplayofNATOallianceairpower.

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ForOfficerCommanding31Squadron,theinvolvementofTornadoForceintheexercisewasofrealbenefit.Hesaid:

Thishasbeenatremendouslysuccessfulexercisefor31Squadron,itsgivenustheopportunitytoallowouraircrewtotrainindifferentroles
towhichtheynormallytrainforOpShaderandbeforethatOpHerrick.Itsbeenarefreshingchangeandhasenabledustotraininthelarger
andmorecomplexGR4operations.

Theyoungaircrewonthesquadron,whohavebeenontheTornadoForceforthreeyears,areunlikelytohaveseenthisbeforeeventhough
theymayhavedoneanumberofoperationaltours.Theyarebenefittingimmenselybecausetheyreseeingadifferentaspectofoperatingthe
TornadowhichisreallybeneficialtotheForceandtheRAF.

Fromtheperspectiveofthewholesquadronthishasbeenaverypositiveexperience.Atleasthalfofthesquadronhavenotexperienceda
detachmentwhereyougoawayasateamwhereyoudonthavetheoperationalpressures.Whilstitismoretimeawayfromhomeweveall
learnedpositivelessonsandforgednewrelationshipswithouralliesandfurtherimprovedtherelationshipwithourRAFcolleagues.

ForOfficerCommanding1(F)Squadron,whooperatetheTyphoonFGR4swingrolefighterfrom
RAFLossiemouth,TridentJuncturewassimilarlysuccessful.Hesaid:

Thisexerciseisallaboutinteroperabilitybetweenanumberofdifferentcountries.Weveflown
missionsacrosstheMediterraneanSea,theIberianPeninsulaandintoPortugal,workingwithfast
jetsfromItaly,Spain,Portugal,TurkeyandFranceaswellasRAFTornados.

WorkingwiththesedifferentNATOcountriesmeanswerelearninghowtooperateandintegrate
effectivelytogether.Thismeansthatinfuture,shouldweneedtoatshortnotice,wecanoperate
effectivelyasacoalitioninacontestedchallengingenvironment.

TridentJuncturehasbeenhugelybeneficialtothesquadron.WereonhighreadinessfortheUK
asanattackaircraftplatform.Tomaintainourswingroleskillsweneedconstanttrainingandbeing
abletooperateoverhereanddoanumberofdemandinganddifferentsortiesisofvital
importancetous.

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ThetrainingbenefitforbothRAFsquadronsatAlbacetewasnotlimitedtojointoperationswithothernationsbutalsoworkingtogetherasOC
31Squadronexplained:

BeingcolocatedforthreeweekswithTyphoonshasbeenahighlight.Werebeenabletoflymixedformationsandhavealllearnedlessons,
itsbeenreallypositive.Weveneverworkedsocloselytogetherandwewillundoubtedlyreapthebenefitsinfuture.

HisviewwasechoedbyOC1(F)Sqnwhosaid:

Wevedonesomemixedformationwork,TyphoonsandTornadosworkingtogether.TyphoonprotectedTornadoonthewayintoatargetand
thenbothplatformssimulateddroppingPavewayIVprecisionbombs.TheTyphoonsthenswitchedbacktotheairairroletofighttheirway
out.

Wevelearnedagreatdealfromeachotherwhichhasbeenextremelyvaluable.WelastdidthisoveraconsolidatedperiodonOpEllamyin
2011andfortheyoungstersontheTyphoonForcewhohaventworkedwithTornadobeforeitsbeenreallybeneficial.

Theexerciseconcludes6November.

Editor:WgCdrEklund

Photographs:SACRobynStewart

MODCrownCopyright2015

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