Stunning pics of US warplanes low-level training in the valleys of north Wales
BREATHTAKING pictures of US warplanes darting through the hills and valleys of north Wales at breakneck speeds have emerged.
Cockpit footage shows US Air Force training in F-15 Strike Eagle
The USAF F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were being put through their paces in the Mach Loop near Dolgellau, north Wales.
The pics show the 1,650mph twin-engined strike jet darting as low as 76 metres from the ground during daredevil training runs.
The Mach Loop valleys, situated between Dolgellau and Machynlleth, are regularly used by the military for operational low flying exercises.
The planes routinely fly below the rim of the valleys providing onlookers with a spectacular free air display.
In some pictures the pilot can even be seen looking directly at the camera.
Other images show the F-15 carrying out daring twisting manoeuvres as they run the Mach Loop.
F-15s cost £71 million each and carry special navigation gear designed to allow them to fly very low.
The technology lets the planes closely follow the contours of the landscape which allows them to evade enemy radar systems in a conflict situation.
The planes are bristling with cutting edge weapons including sidewinder missiles and Vulcan six-barrel rotary cannons.
The USAF jets are based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.