Run biannually, Cobra Warrior is the largest air exercise run by the Royal Air Force and multiple air bases across the UK take part.
Exercise Director is Group Captain Jim ‘JJ’ Calvert (pictured below), who says it’s a key tactical training event which represents a valuable and demanding three weeks for the pilots and crews.
He says: “Cobra Warrior provides live collective training for our partner nations — this year it’s UK, US, France, Belgium, Finland, Saudi Arabia and India. This is all about learning from each other. It's collective training, we're all on the same team.
“What Cobra Warrior provides us with is proof that we can work together and that we can fight together. We can learn about other’s strengths and maximize our ability to work together.”
Group Captain Jim ‘JJ’ Calvert, himself a former Typhoon pilot, says the Eurofighters have performed incredibly well no matter what their task.
“It is a very capable platform. It is taking part in the whole exercise and to be honest it’s crushing it. Whether that’s control of the air, defensive or offensive, surface attack, dynamic targeting, air interdiction or supporting personnel recovery. Basically, Typhoon is doing the whole thing.”
The exercise is taking place until 24 March and over 70 aircraft are taking part. It is being controlled by directing staff at RAF Waddington. The main objective is to develop tactical skills, techniques, and procedures in complex large-scale scenarios