2005 Kleine Brogel exercise COMAO
Once again a very nice COMAO (COMbined Air Operations) exercise held at Kleine-Brogel (Belgium). Highlight was the tiger c/s Polish Su-22, 4 Romanian MiG-21MF Lancer-C's and a Greek A-7E and TA-7C. Besides Belgian F16's a total of 54 other aircraf attended the exercise which made this sunny day a very bussy flying day!
Besides these highlights the other participants consisted of Swiss FA-18 Hornets, Czech L-159's and a Mi-35 Hind, a large group of French Alpha Jets/ Rafales/ Mirage 2000's/ Mirage F1's/ Embraer 312F's and Super Etendards. The Germans brought 7 Tornado's and a F-4F Phantom. A British Jaguar with Hawks and a Canberra, Danish F16's and a Dutch AS532 Cougar completed the set.
Besides the Polish Su22 Fitter some other former Warschaupact aircraft joined the COMAO: a flock of 4 MiG29 Lancer-C's from Baza 86 - the Romanian Air Force, bases at Letesti. Both Polish and Romanian air forces would transit in the near future to the F16 Falcon.
Transports consisted of a Romanian An-26 and Polish C295M. The Belgians themselves attended of course with a very large amount of F16's and they also exercised the annual Brussels flyby with an A310, 3 Alpha Jets, 2 C130H's and 3 ERJ.135/ERJ.145. Other Belgian visitors were CM170R Magisters, an L-21B of the Luchtkadetten and a SF260M, Sea King Mk48, SA318C Alouette II, Alpha Jet and A109HA.
The Greek A-7E and TA-7C Corsairs were some of the last aircraft of this type still in operational duty. These two aircraft belonged to 116PM - the Araxos based wing, consisting of two squadrons (335Mira and 336 Mira).
Many other interantional squadrons and aircraft types joined the COMAO - this day alone counted 85 different aircraft! Many types would be withdrawn from use in the years to come. These French Navy Super Etendards would be replaced by Rafale M's, Mirage F1's, Canberra's and Jaguars would be inactivated. The Belgian Air Force still operated the aging Sea King, CM170 Magister and Alouette II.
The French as well as the German delegation participated with a large number of aircraft - some types of 3 different squadrons! The new French Rafales belonged to 12F, the French Mirage 2000's to two different wings (EC12 and EC3) while the photo recce Mirage F1CR's were operated by ER1/33. German Tornado's came from AG51 (photo recce), JBG31, JBG32 and JBG33.
