Royal Air Force Typhoon Aircraft flown by 1(Fighter) Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth landed at Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Butterworth in Malaysia on 2nd October for Exercise Bersama Lima 16.
The Typhoon aircraft arrived as two trails (four in each), both supported by RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft. The two trails stopped off at various countries en route, and in total each covered over 7,600 miles. The deployment is also being supported by C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Hercules transport aircraft.
The deployment includes the Red Arrows aerobatic team, which will perform a series of public displays and training events with international Defence partners, including events in India, China and the United Arab Emirates.
Exercise Bersama Lima 16 is the annual Five Powers Defence Arrangement (FPDA) Exercise, which involves the UK, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The RAF will operate out of Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Butterworth.
The exercise runs from 4-21 October 2016 and is the first part of Eastern Venture. After Bersama Lima, the RAF Typhoons will deploy to Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The Typhoons will participate in the first-ever UK-Republic of Korea Fighter Exercise, named Invincible Shield, hosted at Osan Air Force Base from 4th to 11th November. Four Typhoons from the RAF’s 2(AC) Squadron will take part. The Korean Air Force will be participating with F-15K Slam Eagles and (K)F-16C/Ds, and the U.S. Air Force will also take part.
This is the first time that the Republic of Korea will host a major air exercise with a foreign nation other than the U.S.