Midnight FJs in Norfolk

[99 Change Hands]

Trying to get some much-needed kip at a campsite near Cromer last night I could not help but wonder why those fast jets had to keep orbiting above cloud from 11pm to 1am. Sitting in the pub now there are two F15s outside doing the same thing. Can anyone enlighten me?

[MATELO]

Medium level target practice on a "campsite inhabitant". :ok:

[Wageslave]

The sound of freedom...

[Pontius Navigator]

Waiting for dawn? No night landings after 9pm.

[Coltishall. loved it]

Have you not heard of "opp keeping arshools out of Norfolk?" it's been running for years? Obviously not working. opp low fly over very annoying tourists is "in progress"
Obviously not working. looking forward to seeing the usual retards at the festival
enjoy

[heights good]

And now for a sensible reply, there are numerous areas that are used by ground troops in Norfolk. It is likely that these FJ were being 'worked' as part of this training.

[Hangarshuffle]

Aye its hardline's 99 if your on a break or resting etc and the jets are overhead; my limited experience of it when we were rocket attacked at Basra COB at night was that paired American FJs could generally be totally relied upon to be overhead within about 5-6 minutes of first hit, and to be at a medium altitude or higher and go into an immediate racetrack pattern, presumably to set up an target acquisition, or just to reassure us, or me. And remain overhead for some time as I recall.
F16, F15 and occasionally F18. Nice to have, indeed all we had nation wise-no RAF or FAA ever showed in this way, I used to read the after reports. So my guess this sort of US training keeps ongoing and isn't half valuable.
So God bless those Americans whoever you/they were ey?

[AutoBit]

My word hangershuffel. What is it about British military aviation that you hate so much? For the record the Tornados would have been in Iraq when you were there. When an IDF attack goes in the ASOC/CAOC decide what assets to send, based upon who is available and who can be spared. Sometimes its a US asset, other times it would be British.


And just out of interest what FAA aircraft where you expecting to turn up to Basra? The FAA Harriers based in .....Kandahar :ugh:

[pr00ne]

Wageslave,

"The sound of freedom..."


Never understood this nonsense. It sounds exactly the same in Norfolk as it does in North Korea, it's just noise.

[ORAC]

So are Beethoven and Boy George - but they are appreciated differently depending on the listener.

[99 Change Hands]

So why train at 1am? I don't think we would have got away with that in my day.

[Pontius Navigator]

pr00ne, provocative? The original meaning was IMHO crystal clear.

[Pontius Navigator]

99, I would have to check my log book but in the V-Force we often launched as late as 8 or 9 and did circuit work on recovery, especially in summer where we needed night astro and night currency.

[57mm]

You certainly did, the Victor's passed over our house in a Shouldham, being I guess on a downwind leg for RW06, or whatever it was then.

[bobward]

Notams this week mentioned a close air support exercise for a couple of areas in North Norfolk, which I suspect was the cause of your disturbed slumbers.

I guess they were up in the early hours as it doesn't get really dark until then. Perhaps one of the professionals might be able to comment??

[frodo_monkey]

If you need to do NVG training (could be the JTAC needing a night talk on, or the crews needing 'cheeses') then it needs to be night... That'd be my take.

[99 Change Hands]

Thanks for the input folks. Personally I'm adding 'failed coup' to the list of options now.

[SWBKCB]

Thanks for the input folks. Personally I'm adding 'failed coup' to the list of options now.

Blimey, I know it's been a busy time news wise, but how did I miss Norfolk getting its own government? :eek:

[MACH2NUMBER]

We certainly operated Lightnings through the night especially on exercises. I can recall seeing the sun rise on many occasions from 30,000'. F4s and Tornados certainly kept going through the night on exercises.
I think we are not as accustomed to hearing military jet noise as much as we once were. It doesn't mean that night flying and exercises are no longer required.

[ValMORNA]

Complaints of 'Noise by aircraft at Night' can be countered by the reply, 'The Royal Air Force is on the alert 24/7' - for your safety.'