Exercise Real Thaw

Real Thaw is an annual military exercise organized and hosted by the Portuguese Air Force (PRT AF) with the participation of forces from the Army and Navy and foreign military forces. The exercise has the objective of creating a realistic as possible operational environment in which Portuguese forces might participate, provide joint training with both land, air and naval forces, and provide interoperability between different countries.[1]

A-10 Thunderbolt II jets from the 81st Fighter Squadron after a mission in Monte Real, Portugal, 14 Feb 2013

History

The exercise originated from two exercises (Real Warm and Real Thaw 2008) organized at Monte Real Air Base (BA5) in 2008 with the personnel from 201 Squadron and 301 Squadron.[2] The first official Real Thaw took place in 2009 and has since been coordinated and hosted by the BA5 personnel, and involves ground-attack, close air support, combat search and rescue, tactical transport, Composite Air Operations (COMAO), personnel recovery, Slow Mover Protection, High Value Airborne Protection (HVAA), convoy escort and electronic warfare operations.[1][3]

Real Thaw 2009

The first Real Thaw took place in 2009 for four weeks involving 400 personnel from the PRT AF, 40 from the Portuguese Army's Special Operations and airborne, as well personnel from the Portuguese Marines integrated in a parallel training exercise of the Portuguese Navy. International participated in the exercise was composed of Joint terminal attack controller teams from the United States, four F-16 fighters from the Royal Danish Air Force, four F-18 fighters from the Spanish Air Force's Ala 15 and a NATO E-3A Sentry AWACS.[4]

Real Thaw 2010

Real Thaw 2010 took place from 18 January to 4 February with the foreign participation of F-16 fighters from Belgium Air Force and Royal Danish Air Force, Spanish Air Force F-18 fighters, E-3 Sentry from NATO, and forward air controllers from the United States, Denmark and Lithuania.[5][6]

Real Thaw 2011

The exercise in 2011 took place from 28 March to 8 April, with units from the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and the participation of forward air controllers from the United States, C-130 from the Belgium Air Force, a Cobham's electronic warfare Falcon 20 from the United Kingdom, F-18 fighters from the Spanish Air Force.[7][8] The exercise was postponed to March and April due to an NATO evaluation and exercise (FORCEVAL) of the 201 and 301 Squadron taking place that year at the time period that Real Thaw usually takes place.[9]

Real Thaw 2012

In 2012 the exercise was organized from 23 January to 3 February, in addition to the national military forces from the Portuguese Army, Air Force and Navy, took part in the exercise forward air controllers from the United States and the Netherlands, Eurofighter Typhoon fighters from the Spanish Air Force's Ala 11 and one Airbus A330 MRTT, one Falcon 20 from the United Kingdom, and one E-3 Sentry AWACS from NATO.[10][11]

Real Thaw 2013

Real Thaw 2013 takes place from 11 to 22 February and marks its fifth anniversary. The exercise involves the Portuguese Army, Air Force and Navy, and four international forces: Forward air controllers (FAC) and medical staff from the Netherlands, FAC and A-10 Thunderbolt II from 81st Fighter Squadron,[12] supported by 351st Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron,[13] from the United States, Cobham's Falcon 20 from the United Kingdom, and one E-3 Sentry AWACS from NATO.[14][15]

Real Thaw 2015

23 February - 6 March 2015 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 26 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 .[16]

Participants

National participants

International participants

See also

References
Notes
  1. "Real Thaw – Objectives" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Air Force. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  2. Severiano, Vítor (2009). Trabalho de Investigação Individual do CPOS/FA 2008/2009 (PDF) (Report). p. 18. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  3. Real Thaw 2010 SIC news report. Portugal: SIC. 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2010. YouTube title: Força Aérea Portuguesa realiza Real Thaw 10 Reportagem SIC
  4. "EXERCÍCIO "REAL THAW 2009"" (in Portuguese). Operacional. 6 March 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  5. "REAL THAW 2010 – BALANÇO (M355-6PM/2010)" (in Portuguese). Pássaro de Ferro. 28 February 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  6. "Força Aérea realiza com sucesso o Real Thaw 10" (in Portuguese). 5 February 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  7. "European Air Transport Fleet observers attend a Belgium flying exercise in Portugal". European Defence Agency. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  8. "Real Thaw 2011 começa já segunda-feira". Take Off. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  9. Sirius. 145. May–June 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. "Real Thaw 2012 – (1)" (in Portuguese). 15 January 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  11. "REAL THAW 2012 (2) – (M591 – 9PM/2012)" (in Portuguese). 27 January 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  12. Staff Sgt. Nathanael Callon (8 February 2013). "81st departs for final European exercise". Spangdahlem Air Base. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  13. "RAF Mildenhall Airmen support REAL THAW". Royal Air Force Mildenhall. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  14. "Real Thaw – Forças – Internacionais" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Air Force. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  15. "REAL THAW 2013 – 1" (in Portuguese). 8 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  16. http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?p=763048&sid=692f10630e874de546dbed3c2139d67c
  17. "81st Fighter Squadron A-10Cs caught during exercise REAL THAW 2013 February 20, 2013". Warthog News. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  18. "Pilots from the 81st Fighter Squadron prepare for an upcoming mission in Monte Real, Portugal". United States European Command. 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
Sources
  • Real Thaw official website (in Portuguese)
  • Exercícios, military exercise video playlist at the official PRT AF YouTube channel
  • REAL THAW 2013, official Portuguese Air Force Flickr photo gallery
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