A Royal Air Force pilot from RAF Lossiemouth who deployed to Nevada in the United States for the recent Exercise RED FLAG was able to take time out to meet his brother, who is also a RAF pilot and who is currently on an exchange posting with the United States Air Force.
Squadron Leader Ben Spoor is a Flight Commander with 1 (Fighter) Squadron and flies the Typhoon FGR Mk4. He deployed to Nellis Air Force Base to take part on Exercise RED FLAG, a high intensity simulated war fighting exercise.
Meanwhile his brother Squadron Leader James ‘Showtime’ Spoor, who used to be a pilot with 1 (F) Squadon is now on an exchange and flying a United States Air Force F-35 A jet with the 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron that is based at Nellis Air Force Base.
Taking time out of the exercise the brothers met up with their respective Commanding Officers to talk jets, the exchange programme and flying at Nellis Air Force base. The Exercise is Squadron Leader Ben Spoor’s fifth RED FLAG.
"It is certainly very different from my previous experiences. The scenarios that have been developed for this Red Flag are extremely relevant and are more complex than they have been before in both the air and ground threat environments. This is down to the replication and the ability of the RED FLAG team to deliver relevant, current threat simulations in which we can train to fight with our Coalition partners. There is nowhere else in the world where we get to interoperate with all the different high end aircraft that are at Nellis for RED FLAG and the benefits are immense for all involved."
Squadron Leader Ben Spoor
Flight Commander, 1 (Fighter) Squadron
"It is obviously different in a number of areas and adapting my knowledge of how a fourth generation fighter would solve a certain problem compared to how an F35 would solve the same problem has been interesting and challenging. The Typhoon certainly has the edge in performance but the F35’s capabilities and systems do provide the pilot with a vast amount of information that is astounding. I will always hold the Typhoon in high regard and right now I don’t think I have a clear favourite."
Squadron Leader James Spoor
422 Test and Evaluation Squadron
Away from the Exercise, the brothers have been able to catch up on the weekends.
"It has been really great to see how my brother and the Squadron are doing on the exercise, especially having served on 1(F) Squadron previously. The time has gone far too quickly and it would be nice to spend more time with him but we will look forward to the next visit."
Squadron Leader James Spoor
422 Test and Evaluation Squadron
"I see the exchange program as absolutely vital, not just to our squadron in Operational Test, but to the integrated air forces of the United States Air Force and RAF as a whole. The F-35 has been purchased in partnership by both the United States Air Force and RAF has ushered in a new era and level of integration in air operations that has previously been under-utilised. Our exchange offers an opportunity for experts from both countries to work hand in hand on a daily basis to refine the effectiveness and suitability of these systems, as well as conduct Tactics Development & Evaluation. The results of these efforts have a far reach across the entire Combat Air Force of both the United States Air Force and RAF."
Colonel Brent 'Sword' Golden
Commanding Officer, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron