The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has deployed its personnel and aircraft to train with multinational forces during a major Nato exercise called Swift Response.
The personnel and aircraft were deployed in the North Macedonia region, as part of the wider exercise.
The troops conducted training with forces from other allied nations, including the US, Italy, Montenegro, Greece, North Macedonia, France and Albania.
Around 45 aircraft were involved in operations in the training area. The RAF’s contribution included C-130J Hercules, C-17 Globemaster, Typhoon jets and Chinook helicopters.
During the exercise, a reconnaissance expert team aboard the RAF’s C-17 Globemaster tactical transport aircraft flew from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK, to North Macedonia.
The team conducted a high-altitude low-opening parachute jump from the aircraft over the Krivolak training area in North Macedonia. It was the first long-range high-altitude parachute insertion conducted by a British Globemaster.Â
As part of the exercise, RAF Chinook helicopters transported additional troops and light guns for the participating parachute regiment.
The RAF’s Hercules aircraft also conducted several low-level parachutes drops of the paratroopers, water, food and heavy equipment such as quad bikes into the training area to support the ground troops.
The ground troops included RAF Regiment Reservists from the 606 Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadron.
Besides, the RAF’s Typhoon fighter jets flew from Romania to support the training missions of allied forces in the training area.
Exercise Swift Response is an annual multinational exercise that seeks to improve military readiness and enhance airborne interoperability.
Around 9,000 personnel from 17 Nato and allied nations participated in this year’s iteration that covered eight nations in three regions.
