Defence Firm Supports Multinational Air Combat Exercise

QinetiQ played a key role in Combat Archer 2026, USAFE's 48th Fighter Wing training event held in the UK at MOD Hebrides and MOD Aberporth, both managed by QinetiQ under a Long-Term Partnering Agreement. Working with USAFE and the RAF, QinetiQ supported mission rehearsal, planning and expertise for the air-to-air weapons evaluation exercise.

Participating aircraft included RAF Typhoons, RAF F-35Bs, F-35A Lightning IIs and F-15E Strike Eagles from the USAFE 48th Fighter Wing, supported by KC-135 Stratotankers. Evaluations were conducted by the Weapon System Evaluation Team (WSEP) from the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron, hosted this year by QinetiQ at MOD Hebrides.

This marked the first time MOD Hebrides and MOD Aberporth supported a single exercise together, with teams delivering end-to-end range operations across more than 120,000km² of air and land space.

The exercise also involved joint delivery between QinetiQ UK and QinetiQ Germany. QinetiQ Germany supplied a PC-12 D-RMT maritime patrol aircraft for sea monitoring and range safety, and a banner target towed by a PC-9B aircraft. QinetiQ Target Systems provided Banshee Jet 80+ Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles, made in Kent.

Lee Rowe, Mission Rehearsal Lead, QinetiQ said: "This year's Combat Archer exercise demonstrated the unique breadth of capability QinetiQ offers. The expertise from our teams in both the UK and Germany supported the U.S Air Force and Royal Air Force in the delivery of realistic operational evaluation, strengthening interoperability between allied air forces.

"We deliver complex exercises, providing the assurance needed to maintain operational readiness and ensure forces are prepared."