Northwestern Europe, March 31st – April 11th 2025
Report by Peter Davison & Colin Coulthard
This large-scale tactical live-fly exercise (RAFL25) involved over ninety aircraft operating from twelve air bases; centred on the Royal Netherlands Air Force bases at Leeuwarden in the north and the more central base at Eindhoven. This exercise concentrates on a network based on cooperation between Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and The Netherlands.
The UK based operations involve RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire hosting F16s from the Turkish Air Force and the Romanian Air Force and RAF Marham in Norfolk with Spanish Air Force F18 Hornets. Naturally RAF assets and USAF fighters from Lakenheath also took part plus support from the A330MRTT fleet at Brize Norton and NATO AWACS from Geilenkirchen also participated.
Two factors were unusual for the almost two week event: First the majority of missions were flown mid afternoon and evening and secondly the weather across northwest Europe and particularly the UK was warm with clear blue skies; destroying Britain’s reputation for an overcast and damp April.
Given the current NATO situation it was reassuring to see that transport support for many of the detachments was provided by A400s and C27s; both European products.
