Jets fly from RAF Leeming in UK, French and US exercise

RAF Typhoons working with French Rafale and US F-35 jets have practised responding to an attack on their main operating bases. As part of Exercise Atlantic Trident they were informed mid-air that their home bases had been denied and they were to disperse and relocate to RAF Leeming.

After successfully relocating to a remote corner of the airbase, they established secure communications with HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Diamond to activate UK F-35s to provide support, and connected with command and control centres on the ground and in the air to receive tasking orders; including counter-air missions to protect the Carrier Support Group which was patrolling in the North Sea.

Typhoons and F-35Bs showed their adaptability, with Typhoons switching their role mid-air from air-to-air patrol to air-to-surface attack. French Navy jets also joined the operation.

The UK’s F-35s stayed on mission for four hours by "hot-pitting" on the carrier – to refuel and simulate rearming with engines running. Jets remained airborne by being air-to-air refuelled by French MRTT, US KC135 and RAF Voyager aircraft.

Several of the Royal Navy carrier’s fleet of giant Merlin helicopters victualled via Teesside Airport.

Air Marshal Harv Smyth, Air and Space Commander, said: “To ensure we are prepared for all scenarios, such as bases being denied or under threat, the RAF needs to be able to relocate our capabilities from their home bases to other locations.

“This joint exercise has been a huge success and has surpassed all expectations.”