RAF Lossie pilots in Arctic combat test

RAF Lossiemouth aircraft and personnel have returned from a huge multi-nation Arctic training exercise aimed at building collective security.

Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE), which ran between May 22 to June 4, was one of Europe’s largest air force exercises, with 140 aircraft and 4000 troops from the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and US, supported by Nato assets, testing their effectiveness in a realistic threat environment.

Located at Luleå-Kallax air base in Sweden, the RAF contributed 155 personnel from 14 RAF stations to support its seven aircraft on the exercise.

Each day saw up to 100 aircraft fly simultaneously in the exercise area across the airspaces of Sweden, Finland and Norway. The pilots took part in simulated scenarios to test their combat skills, alternating between playing the role of enemy or ally.

Typhoon pilot at RAF Lossiemouth Flight Lieutenant Craig Allison said: "We don’t often get to participate with 100 aircraft all airborne at the same time – so it was quite a unique experience."

The UK Commander for ACE 19, Wing Commander Matt D’Aubyn, Officer Commanding 6 Squadron and Typhoon pilot at RAF Lossiemouth, said: "Flying alongside the pilots from other nations was great because there’s always that slight competition – you always want to prove yourselves and the UK contingent performed very well."

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