Notification of increased flying activity
Exercise Early Resolve 2008
The Ministry of Defence has announced that a medium-scale air exercise will take place over parts of Dorset and central & west Wales over the period 6th to 14th November 08. The Exercise, Code-named “Early Resolve”, is designed to practice close air support operations and forward air control techniques. This training is essential for the UK Aircrews and Ground Forces and allows them to practice various techniques and procedures before possible deployment to operational theatres.

Exercise aircraft will operate in the Dorset area on 6th and 7th Nov before moving to operate over the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire areas of Wales from 10th to 14th November 2008.

Flying is expected to take place daily between 9am and 11pm. There will be no weekend activity.

A variety of aircraft types will be involved in Exercise Early Resolve and observers may see Tornado, Hawk, Harrier and Typhoon as well as French Naval Rafale & Super Etendarde and USAFE F15E. Some practice munitions will be used when aircraft are operating at the Castlemartin Range areas.

The Exercise will be monitored and supported by E-3D AEW aircraft operating at high level.

Throughout Exercise Early Resolve there will be occasions when participating fast jet aircraft will be required to operate at low level, and this may include low level orbits, but any time spent conducting low level flying will be the minimum necessary to achieve the training objectives with every effort being made to minimise disturbance; additionally, where low flying operations have been arranged as part of the exercise, this precludes the use of the same area by aircraft carrying out routine low-level training flying.

Although the exercise will not affect RAF Lyneham, or its surrounding area, the airfield could be used as a diversion, for those aircraft involved.

Royal Air Force Lyneham operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in support of UK foreign policy and NATO commitments worldwide. In order to meet our obligation, we have a wide-ranging infrastructure, which ensures our aircrew are trained to the highest standards. Inevitably, the maintenance of such high standards requires that we fly the Hercules in the local area, and further a field. Nevertheless, RAF Lyneham strive to ensure that noise is kept to a minimum, especially in the quiet hours.

Without doubt, there will be occasions when we will have to increase our tempo, so check this page to find out if there is an expectation of increased flying activity or noise.