RAF planes on flightradar

[Octovent]

There are lots of RAF planes flying around atm on flightradar. We had one fly over us in Cumbria, which didn't show but was really bloody noisy. Any idea what's going on - is it a big RAF exercise?

I notice that sometimes it’s a bit ‘all or nothing’, and I can’t resist clicking on each one as they sometimes have a whole trail of tight circles!

I’m sadly addicted to the Australian and New Zealand forces too. Sometimes you get the Singaporean forces around Perth.

But I have no idea about anything special today, sorry.

Just seen this too. It's quite scary

They publish what they’re up to

Exercise Merlin Storm 2026
1 June – 12 June(temporarily suspended due to recent incident)
Type: Rotary
Location: Gloucestershire, the South West and South Wales
Description: Final training exercise for the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) Merlin aircrews, and replicates the stresses of real-world deployments in harsh environments.
Exercise Hades Warrior 2026
1 June – 12 June
Type: Rotary (Wildcat/Chinook)
Location: RAF Leeming
Description: To qualify pilots and aircrew as Qualified Weapons Instructors (QWI) and Qualified Helicopter Tactics Instructors (QHT).
King's Birthday Flypast 2026
13 June
Type: Flypast
Location: North Sea and East Anglia
Description: Multiple aircraft will form up over the North Sea, then overfly Buckingham Palace (13.00hrs). Then disperse over Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

Google
defencepressagency.com

It isn’t scary. They are on flight radar very often.

They zoom down the Lake District valleys quite frequently.

Thanks for that. Think I'm overthinking because of everything going on today.

Thanks,this is really interesting. I can't seem to fit any of these to right now though. I have found something to say they'll be night training this week,but it's not night yet. Maybe they're early

They're often around when I look at flight radar.
Our chinooks are on night flight practice and one of them woke me at 2am when I thought it was actually going to land in the garden. I think a new pilot was pushing their luck a bit.

Thank you; i didn't know there was a birthday flypast coming up. They often fly near us and our plane spotter likes to see them.

If scary things were happening I'm sure they wouldn't be showing on flight radar

That's true I hope.
Was only on to check my mum's delayed flight EDI to Rome

Perhaps
Exercise Hades Warrior ( love that name )

has spread their wings far west to you from RAF Leeming
exciting !