Dozens of Belgian military vehicles and 600 personnel are involved in Red Condor, a major joint exercise at Kinloss Barracks, marking a significant collaboration between Belgian and British forces.
Large convoys of vehicles belonging to the Belgian Armed Forces were observed entering Kinloss Barracks on Saturday. The footage capturing this event was recorded by David Hendry, a Lossiemouth explorer noted for his interests in documenting sites from the Second World War and discovering vintage vehicles. Hendry gained attention last July when he located the oil tank of a Fairey Firefly, a carrier-borne fighter aircraft that dates back to April 1952, near Elgin.
On the day of the convoy sighting, Hendry was returning to Lossiemouth after attending a Star Wars convention in Forres when he encountered the extensive fleet, consisting of dozens of military vehicles. The convoy was seen travelling along the B9089 before making a turn into Kinloss Barracks.
The Press and Journal has confirmed that the vehicles were involved in a military exercise conducted by the Belgian Special Operations Regiment. Specifically, the exercise, named Red Condor, is being undertaken by the Belgian 3rd Parachute Battalion, part of the Special Operations Regiment of the Belgian Armed Forces, with aerial support from the Belgian Air Component.
As part of this operation, approximately 600 personnel from the Belgian Army are participating in this large-scale exercise across the United Kingdom. Kinloss Barracks, which served as a Royal Air Force (RAF) base until 2012, is currently home to the 39 Engineer Regiment, which provides engineering and technical support to both the British Army and the RAF.
The Belgian Minister of Defence has recently confirmed the army's involvement in this military exercise. The British Army has been contacted for further comments on the ongoing operation.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
No outdated references detected. References to Kinloss Barracks’ current use as a base for 39 Engineer Regiment are accurate. Recent involvement of Belgian Defence Minister and ongoing exercise status indicate timely reporting. No evidence of recycled content from older material.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
No direct quotes from officials or witnesses are included. The narrative cites confirmation from the Belgian Minister of Defence and the British Army, but primary sources for these confirmations are not directly retrievable. Reliance on observational reportage (David Hendry’s footage) without independent verification.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The Press and Journal is a regional newspaper with standard journalistic practices. While not internationally authoritative like Reuters, its local reporting on Scottish affairs is generally credible. No direct affiliation with military sources noted.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
Claims align logically with Belgium’s NATO commitments and routine military exercises. Kinloss Barracks’ role as an active UK military base supports plausibility. Specific details (600 personnel, ‘Red Condor’ exercise name) correlate with typical multinational drills.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative demonstrates internal consistency and plausible claims corroborated by named entities (Belgian Defence Minister, 39 Engineer Regiment). Lack of primary source verification for ministerial confirmation and moderate outlet reputation result in medium confidence. No red flags detected in content freshness or factual coherence.
