Five Eurofighter Typhoons took part in a major Royal Air Force exercise for the first time earlier this month, marking the type’s largest participation in a UK training mission to date.
Conducted from RAF Leuchars in Scotland over two weeks and involving a composite air wing of around 50 fixed-wing aircraft, the operational phase of the biannual Combined Qualified Weapons Instructor (CQWI) course was intended to test the tactical and procedural capabilities of aircrews on multiple platform types.
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| Five RAF Typhoons made their exercise debut, operating alongside a variety of aircraft, including Tornados |
Four Typhoons from the RAF’s 17 Sqn operational evaluation unit and one aircraft from its 29 Sqn Typhoon operational conversion unit participated in the course, which lasts a total of five months.
Managed by around 30 specialists from the UK Air Warfare Centre (AWC) and involving 15 students, the latest course culminated with nine complex missions spanning skills including air intercept, close air support, air defence and time-sensitive targeting. “We’re concentrating entirely on the sharp end of air power, training people in how to use weapon systems,” says Wg Cdr Pete Jones, the AWC’s officer commanding, tactics and training.
Each frontline RAF squadron typically has two or three QWIs acting as tactical specialists, which means the biannual course is “probably the highest priority flying exercise that we do in the UK”, says Gp Capt John Lawlor, the AWC’s group captain, operations.
AWC officials say the Typhoon performed well during its debut exercise, operating alongside Panavia Tornado GR4 ground-attack aircraft, Tornado F3 fighters and BAE Systems Hawks simulating other strike assets. In support were an RAF Boeing E-3D Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, British Aerospace Nimrod MR2 overland surveillance platform and a Vickers VC10 tanker.
Tornado F3s and NATO Boeing F/A-18 Hornets acted as hostile forces, simulating the capabilities of McDonnell Douglas F-4, Mikoyan MiG-21 and RSK MiG-29 fighters armed with short and medium-range air-to-air missiles. The Typhoon is expected to receive operational clearance to deploy the RAIDS pod for air combat training late this year.
Source: Flight International
