Exercise Report
back in the UK
The Royal Netherlands Air Force and various components of Defence Helicopter Command deployed to Cumbria in late February for Exercise Tac Blaze UK. Ian Harding and Westleigh Bushell joined them.
Tac Blaze UK 2019
The RNLAF arrived at Carlisle Airport in Cumbria for two weeks of intensive training on the Electronic Warfare Tactics Range (EWTR) at RAF Spadeadam, approximately five minutes’ flying time from the airport. Last held in 2016, the latest Tac Blaze UK involved 250 troops, 80 vehicles and eight helicopters, and the airport became a forward operating base (FOB) for the duration of the manoeuvres. The flight training phase took place between February 25 and March 8 and the eight aircraft comprised three 298 Squadron CH-47D Chinooks, three 301 Squadron AH-64D Apaches and two 300 Squadron AS532U2 Cougars, all from Gilze-Rijen Air Base.
Covering 9,600 acres (38.8km2), RAF Spadeadam is the largest RAF station by land area and enables aircrews to practise manoeuvres and tactics against a variety of threats. The Tac Blaze exercise programme began in the UK in 2006. Aircrew deploy as if they were ‘in the field’, with the exception of air traffic control and fire safety faci…
