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'Nomad' is an annual exercise held at the North Sea ACMI range for dissimilar air combat training, and usually is host to a variety of European Air Forces. This year is no exception, with up to thirty aircraft crowding the usually quiet Bravo and Charlie dispersals at RAF Waddington, planes from Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland joining the host Royal Air Force between 27 June and 14 July.

No fixed pattern of sorties is experienced as with other regular deployments to the 'showground' as the sheer number and variety of permutations of missions means that something is happening most of the time - the following diary shows the variety of types to be seen this year and the frequent change-over of airframes, the situation remaining fluid throughout the three-week exercise.

Diary courtesy of Rick Sleight

The following arrived on Tuesday 27 June: (Serial) (Unit) (Type) (Callsign) (Landing time)

Belgian Air Force:
FA-74 10 Wing [u/m] F-16AM "B.A.F. 441C" 1135L
FA-77 10 Wing [u/m] F-16AM "B.A.F. 441A" 1000L
FA-91 10 Wing [u/m] F-16AM "B.A.F. 441B" 1000L
FB-23 10 Wing [u/m] F-16B "B.A.F. 441D" 1135L.
All parked on Bravo [By A15] dispersal.

Support was provided by CH-07 FAB/20 Sm C-130H "B.A.F. 653" Landed 1015L, departed 1115L.

Spanish Air Force:
CE.15-3/'15-72' Ala 15 EF-18B "A.M.E. 1554A" 1130L
C.15-20/'15-07' Ala 15 EF-18A "A.M.E. 1554B" 1130L
C.15-21/'15-08' Ala 15 EF-18A "A.M.E. 1555C" 1305L
C.15-29/'15-16' Ala 15 EF-18A "A.M.E. 1555A" 1305L
C.15-39/'15-26' Ala 15 EF-18A "A.M.E. 1555B" 1305L.
All parked on Charlie [ACMI] dispersal.

Support was provided by T.10-04/'31-04' EdA/Ala 31 C-130H "A.M.E. 3150" Grey c/s Landed 1205L, departed 1340L.

Swiss Air Force:
J-5019/'019' u/m F/A-18C "S.A.F. 102A" 0940L
J-5021/'021' u/m F/A-18C "S.A.F. 101B" 0930L
J-5023/'023' u/m F/A-18C "S.A.F. 102B" 0940L
J-5025/'025' u/m F/A-18C "S.A.F. 101C" 0930L
J-5234/'234' u/m F/A-18D "S.A.F. 101A" 0930L.
All parked on Charlie [ACMI] dispersal.

Support was provided by T-781 Swiss Air Force Learjet 35A "TANGO 781" Landed 1110L, departed 1250L.

There was also an AdlA/ETE 00.065 Nord 262D, serial number 105/'AE', which arrived at 1245L as "COTAM 3841" and departed at 1425L, in support of the forthcoming AdlA/EC 012 Mirage 2000C detachment.

Three Tornado F.3s arrived after dark as "CARBON 1/2/3", being;
ZE341/- [coded 'HJ' on nose wheel door] 5 Sqn [u/m]
ZE942/- 5 Sqn [F.3 OEU loan and markings]
ZG797/'GI' 5 Sqn [43 Sqn loan and markings].
All parked on Bravo dispersal by the main road.

Wednesday 28 June

Tornado F.3 ZE812/- [allocated code 'CW'] 5 Sqn [u/m] arrived at 1230L as "TYPHOON 67", to join the others.

Arrivals today comprised the following:

Belgian Air Force Detachment:
FA-108/'FS' FAB/2 Wing F-16A "B.A.F. 265A" 1440L
FA-115/'FS' FAB/2 Wing F-16A "B.A.F. 265B" 1440L
FA-125/-    FAB/2 Wing F-16A "B.A.F. 265C" 1440L
FA-127/'FS' FAB/2 Wing F-16A "B.A.F. 265D" 1440L.
All parked on Bravo dispersal with the other four FAB/10 Wing aircraft.

Support was provided by CH-07 FAB/20 Sm C-130H "B.A.F. 654" Arrived 1010L, departed 1045L & arrived 1720L, departed 1750L.

French Air Force Detachment:

AdlA/EC 01.002 Mirage 2000C 44/'2-EQ' "F.A.F. 7100" 1030L
AdlA/EC 02.002 Mirage 2000C 40/'2-FG' "F.A.F. 7141" 1205L
AdlA/EC 02.002 Mirage 2000C 61/'2-FM' "F.A.F. 7140" 1100L
AdlA/EC 01.012 Mirage 2000C 104/'12-YK' "F.A.F. 7601" 1225L
AdlA/EC 02.012 Mirage 2000C 94/'12-KA' "F.A.F. 7642A" 1230L
AdlA/EC 02.012 Mirage 2000C 123/'12-KR' "F.A.F. 7642B" 1230L.
All parked on the engine running platform between Bravo and Charlie dispersal, behind the grass mound.

Support was provided by 5119/'61-PC' AdlA/ET 02.061 C-130H "COTAM 2219" Arrived 1135L, departed 1700L &
105/'AE' AdlA/ETE 00.065 Nord 262D "COTAM 3842" Arrived 1355L, departed 1445L.

Spanish Air Force Detachment:

Support was provided by;
T.19B-18/'35-36' EdA/Ala 35 CN-235M-100 "A.M.E. 3575" Grey c/s Arrived 1335L.

Tuesday 4 July

Another Tornado F.3 arrived late today to join the detachment, being ZE966/'DX' 11 Sqn "JAVELIN 25". Mirage 2000B 530 12-YA arrived late afternoon.

Wednesday 5 July

Arriving early [0950L] were two AdlA/EC 01.003 Mirage 2000Ds;
666/'3-IK' "F.A.F. 7200A"
669/'3-ID' "F.A.F. 7200B".

Also visiting was FAB/2 Wing [u/m] F-16B, FB-07, which arrived as "B.A.F. 299".

Another Tornado F.3 arrived in the late evening, being ZE160/'DA' 11 Sqn "JAVELIN 25". This makes eight Tornado F.3s now present.

Thursday 6 July

Three Spanish AF EF-18s which were expected earlier in the week finally arrived at 1315L, and are as follows;
C.15-27/'15-14' EdA/Ala 15 "A.M.E. 1560A"
C.15-35/'15-22' EdA/Ala 15 "A.M.E. 1560B"
C.15-37/'15-24' EdA/Ala 15 "A.M.E. 1560C".

Further Support flights have been;
CS-03 FAB/21 Sm HS.748 Srs.2A "B.A.F. 608"
CH-05 FAB/20 Sm C-130H "B.A.F. 627"
T-783 Swiss AF Falcon 50 "S.G.F. 783".

The two EC 01.003 Mirage 2000Ds departed for home at 1415L, as "F.A.F. 7200A/B".

Two more departures today were;

FA-125 FAB/2 Wing [u/m] F-16A "B.A.F. 299B" 1630L
FB-07 FAB/2 Wing [u/m] F-16B "B.A.F. 299A" 1630L.

What would be good is some decent weather to get some shots, as it's been really bad since the exercise started!

Friday 7 July

More departures today included;
FA-90 FAB/10 Wing [u/m] F-16AM Returned to Kleine Brogel at 1450L as "B.A.F. 423".
CS-03 FAB/21 Sm HS.748 Srs. 2A Returned to Brussels at 1330L as "B.A.F. 608" [support flight from yesterday].

The Swiss AF Falcon 50, T-783 visited the detachment again today as "S.G.F. 783".

So the aircraft left here this weekend are as follows; [all outside at 1700L tonight, unless noted]:

RAF/5 Sqn Tornado F.3: Parked on Bravo [by A15 road] dispersal.
ZE160/'DA' [11 Sqn]
ZE341/'HJ' on nose wheel door [u/m]
ZE812 [u/m]
ZE839/'CH'
ZE942 [F.3 OEU Mkgs]
ZE966/'DX' [11 Sqn]
ZG797/'GI' [43 Sqn Mkgs]
ZH557/'X' [111 Sqn Mkgs]
The two 11 Sqn aircraft arrived with Leeming call-signs, so are presumed to be from 11 Sqn, all of the others are being operated by 5 Sqn.

FAB F-16A/AM*/B+: Parked on Bravo [by A15 road] dispersal.
FA-74 10 Wing [u/m]*
FA-77 10 Wing [u/m]*
FA-91 10 Wing [u/m]*
FA-108/'FS' 2 Wing
FA-115/'FS' 2 Wing
FA-125 2 Wing [u/m]
FB-23 10 Wing [u/m]+

AdlA Mirage 2000: Parked on Engine Running Bay, between Bravo and Charlie dispersals.
40/'2-FG' EC 02.002
44/'2-EQ' EC 01.002
61/'2-FM' EC 02.002
94/'12-KA' EC 02.012
123/'12-KR' EC 02.012
530/'12-YA' EC 01.012 [Hangared]

EdA/Ala 15 EF-18A: Parked on Charlie [ACMI] dispersal.
C.15-20/'15-07'
C.15-27/'15-14'
C.15-29/'15-16'
C.15-35/'15-22'
C.15-37/'15-24'
C.15-39/'15-26'

Swiss AF/Unmarked F/A-18C/D*: Parked on Charlie [ACMI] dispersal.
J-5019/'019'
J-5021/'021'
J-5023/'023'
J-5025/'025'
J-5234/'234'*

Call-Signs heard so far have included;
RAF/5 Sqn: "SCORPION"
BAF/2 Wing: "FALCON"
BAF/10 Wing: "VIPER"/"FALCON"
AdlA/EC 02.002: "PUMA"
AdlA/EC 01.012: "TIGER"
EdA/Ala 15: "LION"
Swiss AF: "HORNET".

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