Cobra Warrior 2019 RAF Waddington

report by Philippe Decock

Exercise Cobra Warrior 2019 is a combined multi country airborne exercice held in RAF Waddington. The Lincolnshire state base, RAF Waddington received the visit from Israeli Airforce F-15 Eagle and Eurofighters from Aeronautica Militare Italiana and German Airforce. RAF Waddington with its based Air Warfare Centre provided almost all ISTAR types of the RAF fleet home-based here took part in Combat Warrior. While No 8 squadron provides airborne early warning and control with its E-3D Sentry AEW.1, Sentinel R.1 and the Shadow R.1 provides for airborne intelligence during the COMAOs.

RAF Waddington proposed a full package of complex scenarios as Composite Air Operation (COMAO). Around fifty aircrafts performed different roles with the goal to achieve a number of tactical objectives. All the aspect of modern airborne warefare involved mainly crews, but also intelligence commanders & command and control specialists.The main airborne part of this exercice took place over the North Sea. The most part of the combat missions were carried out at medium level stand fast.

The exercice consisted of nine morning sorties, basically on monday, wednesday & friday. Tuesday and Thursday were used to plan CW missions for the following day. The afternoon of flying missions were dedicated to the post mission debriefs. Cobra Warrior offers the opportunity to complete training within the Mission Employment Phase for future Weapons Instructors.

The Israeli Air Force attended the exercise in UK airspace with its fast jets for the first time. Seven F-15C/Ds “Baz” belonging to 106 Squadron. The F-15 were supported by two KC-707 Re’em tanker aircraft of 120 Squadron, from Nevatim airbase. The Aeronautica Militare Italiana sent four Typhoons from 4° and 36° Stormo (Gioia del Colle airbase) and 37° Stormo (Trapani airbase). The Luftwaffe contigent was held with ten Typhoons from the Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73 (TLG73) “Steinhoff” based at Laage airbase.

Globalairpower would like to thank Mr Philippe Decock for his report about this always interesting exercice.