Real Thaw 2015 - Portugal

[Jorge Ruivo]

The Portuguese Air Force in the next two weeks will involve in his military exercise, the Real Thaw 2015, starting yesterday 23st till 6th March.
Bejal Air Base will be the command headquarters and the Seia airfield will operate as Tactic Air Base to support the operations that will happen on that area of Portugal.
This military exercise involves all the Portuguese Armed Forces, Air Force, Army and Navy and will be 4 countries at the exercise too.
United States and Netherland with Forward Air Controllers (FAC);
Falcon 20 from the Cobham Team and E-3A AWAC
From Denmark 4 AS-550
From Spain: 4 EF-2000 Eurofighter, 4 F-18 Hornet and 1 C-295
And from Portugal: 1 C-130; 1 C-295; 1 EH-101; 1 P-3C cup+; 3 Alouette III; 4 Alphajets and 14 F-16AM

So, the next two weeks will be very active here in Portugal with this Military Exercise, and a Spotter day next 26th February at Beja Air base.
Last year we had the participation of the american F-16C from Aviano, and you can see a few photos .

Real Thaw 2014



I will update this threat as soon as possible.
Hope you enjoy it


Best Regards
Jorge Ruivo

[ehusmann]

Hi Jorge,

Such a shame this exercise is always so late to be announced Have been trying to find info about if for weeks, but even the page on the Air Force website just said 'GO AWAY'.

Anyway, thanks for sharing, really do appreciate the info.

Would you by any chance know if the Spanish are based at Beja for the duration of the exercise, or if they fly from their home base as they did a few years ago?

Erwin

[Jorge Ruivo]

Yes Erwin your are right. Every time the exercise is to late annouced.

I think the spannish aircrafts will operate directly from them home bases, but I hope they will be at Beja for Spotterday.

Regards

Jorge Ruivo

[ehusmann]

Well, better late than never

But besides the Spanish, I assume the Portuguese F-16s will also be flying from their home base (so Monte Real, not from Beja), right? Just wondering if it will be worth the trip on Thursday to do Beja from the outside...

Erwin

[p_shadow]

F-16s are detached at Beja

[ehusmann]

Thanks to the info from Jorge and p_shadow I decided to make the trip to Beja and this is the score (all from the outside, near the new civil terminal):

AS.550C2	Esk 724		3x
E-3A		NAEWF		LX-N90454
Alpha Jet	103 Esq		15202 (Asas c/s), 15208 (Asas c/s), 15211 (special c/s), 15236
C-130H		501 Esq		16803
F-16AM		nb		15101, 15104, 15106 (301 Esq Special c/s), 15114, 15122, 15135
P-3C		601 Esq		14811
SA.316B		552 Esq		19376, 19401

So no Spanish came down (at least not before 18.00 when I left) and nothing new.... but well, that's the gamble I guess. Nice to see some jets flying at least.

Erwin

[PilotoRico]

I think this section is for Military News, not movements.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[ehusmann]

Ah, you may be right. I didn't even see the section it was in. I am sure the mods will move if needed

Erwin