Exercise Nomad 1995 was a Royal Air Force-led exercise based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. It began in 1994 as a Belgian Air Force operation aimed at promoting joint air defence training. Still, with the BAE Systems ACMI (Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation) North Sea range, it soon became centred at RAF Waddington, which had the space to accommodate the large number of foreign visiting aircraft involved in the exercise.
RAF Waddington and RAF Coningsby were the UK de-brief centres for the BAE Systems ACMI range. The range featured five remote radio masts mounted on platforms in the North Sea. The masts picked up telemetry information from the pods carried by the participating jets. The pods were typically installed where an AIM-9 Sidewinder would be fitted, and the French Mirage carried a pod based on their Magic missile system. All the data was relayed back to the two RAF Bases, where pilots could see the engagements post-mission. Other observers involved in the exercise could watch in real time.
For Military aviation enthusiasts, visits to RAF Waddington for the ACMI deployments had become paramount. With the arrival of the Nomad Exercises, it became Legendary and is still discussed twenty-odd years later.
The following scanned transparencies were taken on Fuji Velvia slide film during the last few days of the 1995 exercise, which was held from April 24 to May 4.
For many, the highlight of '95 was the German Air Force's F-4F Phantoms from Jagdgeschwader 72, based at Hopsten, Germany.
On the final day, the German Phantoms made two low-level passes over RAF Waddington before leaving for Germany, enthralling the few of us who witnessed it. I have saved those images for the end of this report.
38+45 F-4F Phantom German Air Force.
From Jagdgeschwader 72 at Hopsten. Sadly, it is no longer in use today.
38+45 F-4F Phantom German Air Force.
When I saw this slide, I was amazed at the size of the Phantom. Considering it is beyond the Bedford TK Mobile Control Centre (Runway Caravan), it appears to dwarf it, and I believe the TK's cab stands about eight feet tall!
38+01 F-4F Phantom German Air Force.
Status Wfu.
37+75 F-4F Phantom German Air Force.
Status today scrapped.
ZE982/DM Tornado F3 RAF.
Coming from 11 (F) XI Squadron at RAF Leeming. XI is the world's oldest dedicated fighter unit.
Status W/O on July 2 2009.
25 Sqn RAF Coningsby, wondering if it was alone to XI Squadron.
Today, it sits at RAF Leuchars' main gate. This slide was taken on the last day of the exercise. The tails of arriving transport aircraft and the Victor K2 can be seen on the dispersals beyond.
ZE204/DD Tornado F3. I believe this is today at the Sunderland Museum.
ZE982/DM Tornado F3 RAF taxiing for runway 21.
AdlA Mirage 2000C's queuing for take-off.
112/5-NB Mirage 2000C AdlA from EC01.005 'Vendee' at Orange Airbase.
84/5-NH Mirage 2000C AdlA.
19/2-EA Mirage 2000C AdlA EC.01.002 'Cigogne'
100/5-NQ and 84/5-NH both Mirage 2000C AdlA.
FA-134 F-16A BAF 2 Squadron 'Shooting Star' from Florennes airbase.
FA-65 F-16A BAF 23 Squadron 10 Fighter Wing from Kleine Brogel airbase.
FA-67 F-16A holding for runway 21.
F-56 F-16A awaiting the AldA French Mirages to depart.
FA-102 F-16A BAF 2Sqn joins the queue.
FB-22 F-16B from 23 Sqn at Kliene Brogel.
F88/61-ZF C-160F Transall from ET 61
FA119 F-16A 349 Sqn coming from 10 Wing Kleine Brogel. Transport aircraft continued arriving throughout the last exercise morning.
A mix of Belgian F-16s sit in the sun awaiting take-off.
109/12-YI Mirage 2000C from Escadron de Chasse 01.012 'Cambrésis' AldA at Cambrai/Epinoy.
122/12-YE Mirage 2000C as above.
96/12-KK Mirage 2000C AldA from Escadron de Chasse 02.012 'Picardie' also at Cambrai.
83/12-YP Mirage 2000c with 'Tiger Marks'
French Air Force Mirage 2000Cs await the departure of the Belgian Air Force F-16As.
The grass is looking very scorched towards the end of the exercise.
LX-N19996 B.707 NATO arriving in connection with E-3 training and not to do with 'Nomad'. It was one of three operated by NATO.
German Air Force F-4Fs 37+01, 37+35 and 38+45 from 'Jagdgeschwader 72' at Hopsten airbase.
38+45 McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom GAF.
38+01 F-4F Phantom GAF.
37+75 F-4F Phantom GAF.
Line up and hold.
Holding on runway 21.
37+75 re-heats away.
C15-26/15-13 EF/A-18A EdA from Ala 15 at Zaragoza.
C15-38/15-25 EF/A-18A EdA.
C15-36/15-23 EF/A-18A EdA.
AT-33 from Belgians 7 Sqn/1 training Wing at Beauvechain.
E88/314-TF Dornier/Breguet Alpha Jet AldA from the École de l'Aviation de Chasse 00.314
at Tours/St. Symphorien
E92/314-UE Dornier/Breguet Alpha Jet AldA from the École de l'Aviation de Chasse 00.314
at Tours/St. Symphorien
Royal Air Force Tornado GR.4s were involved, coming from 617 Sqn.
And also 12 sqn from RAF Lossiemouth.
CH-07 C-130H 20 Sqn/15 Wing BAF arriving from Brussels/Melsroek.
ZE982/DM Tornado F3 from 11 Sqn RAF Leeming.
19/2-EA Mirage 2000C AldA Edc 01.002 'Cigogne' from Dijon/Longvic.
102/12YE and 105/12-YL Mirage 2000C AdlA.
T10-4/31-04 C-130H ALA31 from Zaragoza.
If you've made it this far, well done.
What Happy Days indeed, and great memories.
