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Karo-Aviation visit Waddington airbase for Cobra Warrior 23-1
Article and pictures by Ronald de Roij

Exercise Cobra Warrior is the RAF’s capstone tactical training event, allowing air forces from various nations across the globe to work hand-in-hand with their British counterparts on strategy and numerous military objectives.
Last year’s exercise saw military from the United States, Italy, Germany and NATO attend, and the 2023’s version saw participation of  the air forces of India, Finland, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, as well as NATO personnel.

The exercise is typically biannual, and it allows the participating forces to share methods of operational practice with one another, while also practicing through the use of the advanced technology at RAF Waddington.

The aim of the exercise is to participate in diverse fighter aircraft engagements and learn from the best practices of various Air Forces.

The Exercise

The Cobra Warrior exercises are run by the RAF Air & Space Warfare Centre and 92 Squadron, both based at RAF Waddington, and specialized in developing air combat tactics and training.

International cooperation is a keystone of the exercise series, because the participating nations may include not only NATO members and JEF nations, but also the United Kingdom’s other partner nations from all around the world.  Exercise Cobra Warrior is run twice a year and is the largest air exercise run by the Royal Air Force. The exercise is designed to train participants in high intensity, large force, tactical air war fighting operations.

92 Squadron have developed a challenging Air-led multi-domain exercise focussed on pitting our NATO, Joint Expeditionary Force and International partners against a capable peer adversary within a challenging and complex environment

Consequently, the exercise involves several different fighter types, enabling the combination of diverse fighter tactics and the development of air combat training.

Over three weeks, it will bring together there capabilities and deliver the full spectrum of Air Operations, including Defensive and Offensive Counter-Air as well as Strike Operations. These will include RAF Regiment Precision Strike Teams, Air Manoeuvre operations to support ground forces, and also developing there Joint Personnel Recovery Capability.

70 aircraft, fighters from six countries

Both large-force multinational waves and smaller national or bilateral waves where flown during the three-week exercise. The large multinational waves included defensive and offensive counter-air operations (DCA & OCA), counter-land operations with RAF Regiment Precision Strike Teams, and air-to-air refuelling. The smaller waves, on the other hand, included tactical air combat training and low-altitude flying in training areas located across the United Kingdom.

In addition to Finnish and British fighter aircraft, the first Cobra Warrior exercise of 2023 involved fighter aircraft from the U.S., Belgian, Indian and Saudi-Arabian air forces.

The large-force multinational air operations where supported by British, U.S. and French air-to-air refuelling tankers.



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70 aircraft, fighters from six countries

Both large-force multinational waves and smaller national or bilateral waves where flown during the three-week exercise. The large multinational waves included defensive and offensive counter-air operations (DCA & OCA), counter-land operations with RAF Regiment Precision Strike Teams, and air-to-air refuelling. The smaller waves, on the other hand, included tactical air combat training and low-altitude flying in training areas located across the United Kingdom.

In addition to Finnish and British fighter aircraft, the first Cobra Warrior exercise of 2023 involved fighter aircraft from the U.S., Belgian, Indian and Saudi-Arabian air forces.

The large-force multinational air operations where supported by British, U.S. and French air-to-air refuelling tankers.

The participants

Flying the farthest—and arguably among the most eagerly awaited visitors—were the Mirage 2000I/Tis from the Indian Air Force. The deployment of five aircraft, including single- and twin-seat models from Gwalior in India’s Madhya Pradesh region, to RAF Waddington is believed to mark the first deployment of Indian Dassault Mirage 2000s to Europe. India previously has deployed its Sukhoi Su-30s to both the UK and France.

The Mirage 2000s belong to the Indian Air Force’s No. 7 Sqdn., more commonly known as the Battle Axes. The 2000Is have been modified extensively since first deliveries in 1985 and are similar in capability to the Mirage 2000-5 with upgraded avionics, radar and self-defensive systems.

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) was present with six Eurofighters from several different flying units, which were co-located with the Royal Air Force’s Typhoons at RAF Coningsby. That air base is just a few minutes flight time from RAF Waddington, where the other international contingents were located, allowing the Saudis to make use of Waddington’s Typhoon-related facilities. Like their British counterparts, the Saudi Typhoons regularly fly with a targeting pod on the centerline pylon to support air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

With its contingent of six F/A-18 Hornets, the Finnish Air Force was another major participant in the exercise, conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The Finnish Hornets’ days are numbered. The Finnish Air Force has selected Lockheed Martin’s F-35A Joint Strike Fighter as a replacement for the platform, with first deliveries expected in 2025.

The days also are numbered for Belgian Air Forces Lockheed Martin F-16s, which were present for part of the exercise. Like the Finnish Hornets, they are to be replaced by the F-35s. The participations of X Tiger and the special tail off 349 squadron made a interesting addition.

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle's from the 492nd Fighter Squadron participated in the exercise from there home base Royal Air Force Lakenheath.