RAF leads UK's largest homeland defence exercise across increasingly contested skies

The Royal Air Force's "largest homeland defence exercise" is bringing together aircraft and personnel from five Nato nations to rehearse responding to threats against the UK.

The 18-day Exercise Cobra Warrior 26-2 runs from RAF Waddington until 2 October, testing how allied forces can integrate rapidly, sustain complex missions and fight effectively in contested airspace.

RAF Typhoons, F-35 Lightnings and P-8A Poseidons are taking part alongside Chinooks from RAF Odiham operating out of RAF Leeming, and Air Mobility Force aircraft, including Voyager tankers providing air-to-air refuelling.

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Aircraft and personnel from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States are joining their British counterparts for the demanding multinational training.

Held twice a year, the exercise will test command-and-control specialists as well as aircrew, examining how the RAF protects and operates from its home bases while maintaining combat power alongside Nato allies.

Cobra Warrior also marks the culmination of the UK's Qualified Weapons Instructor courses, described by the RAF as its pinnacle postgraduate warfighting qualification.

German air force personnel are operating from RAF Cranwell during the exercise, helping strengthen the professional relationships and common procedures needed when allied air forces respond to a crisis.

Wing Commander Mathew Thornton, Station Commander RAF Cranwell, said: "RAF Cranwell is delighted to welcome our German Air Force colleagues to the station for Exercise Cobra Warrior.

"This exercise provides an opportunity to strengthen our long-standing professional relationships, train alongside one another and build lasting friendships.

"Visits such as these are invaluable and we are incredibly proud to welcome them to RAF Cranwell."

The RAF says the training demonstrates its "warfighting ready" and "Nato First" priorities while showing potential adversaries that allied air power can assemble quickly to defend the UK and Nato territory.