British fast jet activity in the Middle East has reached its highest level in more than a decade, with the Ministry of Defence confirming an increase in aircraft deployments and operational tempo across the region.
According to the MoD, UK pilots have now completed more than 550 flying hours on defensive operations aimed at protecting British personnel, bases and regional partners.
The department also confirmed that the UK currently has more jets deployed in the region than at any point in the past 15 years.
What’s where?
Six F-35B aircraft were deployed from RAF Marham to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in early February, reinforcing the UK’s existing fast-jet presence in the eastern Mediterranean. These joined RAF Typhoon aircraft already based at Akrotiri, giving the UK a combined detachment operating from Cyprus.
In parallel, additional Typhoon FGR4 aircraft were deployed to Qatar. Four jets were sent from RAF Coningsby to join the UK’s existing Typhoon presence in the Gulf, operating alongside the joint UK-Qatar squadron. A further four Typhoons were subsequently earmarked for deployment as part of the same reinforcement.
The aircraft have been operating across multiple locations rather than from a single base. RAF Typhoons and F-35s have flown from Cyprus and Qatar, with activity extending over areas including Jordan and the wider Gulf. This has included interceptions of drones by both Typhoon and F-35 aircraft.
Supporting assets have also been deployed alongside the fast jets. Voyager tanker aircraft accompanied the F-35 deployment to Cyprus to provide air-to-air refuelling and support longer-range operations.
RAF Akrotiri 1968:
No. 6 Squadron: Operated Canberra B.15/B.16 bombers as part of the Akrotiri Strike Wing.
No. 32 Squadron: Operated Canberra bombers, specializing in strike and reconnaissance.
No. 73 Squadron: Operated Canberra bombers, providing conventional/nuclear strike capability (CENTO).
No. 249 Squadron: Operated Canberra bombers (part of the strike wing).
No. 56 Squadron: Operated English Electric Lightnings, which took over air defence duties from Javelins.
No. 84 Squadron: Operated rotary aircraft, including Whirlwinds and later Wessex HAR2s for search and rescue.
What happened in 1968? Turkey thought about invading Northern Cyprus. Its recce Thunderflash aircraft were intercepted by 56 Squadron and the invasion was called off.
That is deterrence at work, a great deal cheaper in the round than the shambles going on today.
Deterrence is, of course, a tri-service undertaking. At the moment, we are observing the limitations of air power alone on a daily basis.
Here’s how we used to do it effectively:
‘Britain had accepted responsibility for Kuwait’s military protection and quickly sent a strong naval task force, which included Royal Marines from 42 Commando on HMS Bulwark, aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, destroyers HMS Camperdown, HMS Finisterre, HMS Saintes and HMS Cassandra, frigates HMS Chichester, HMS Loch Fyne, HMS Loch Ruthven, HMS Loch Insh, HMS Llandaff, HMS Yarmouth, and HMS Lincoln, amphibious landing ship HMS Messina, and the 108th Minesweeper Squadron.
The Royal Air Force sent 2 Canberra Reconnaissance aircraft, of 13 Squadron based in Cyprus.
A troop of 42 Commando arrived by helicopter from Bulwark at the airport as a squadron of Hawker Hunters arrived. By 1 July Britain had half of a brigade group in Kuwait ready for action. These included 42 and 45 Marine Commandos and two companies of 2nd Coldstream Guards. 3rd Carabiniers’ “C” squadron landed with their Centurion tanks from HMS Striker. The two Commando groups occupied high ground on and around Mitla Ridge, near the Iraqi border, in fierce summer heat. Brigadier Derek Horsford, Commander, 24th Infantry Brigade Group was rushed from Kenya to Kuwait to take command of the assembled British land forces.
In the following days, there were further reinforcements; an artillery battery of the 33rd Parachute Field Regiment, and the 11th Hussars with Ferret scout cars; 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment arrived after a delay through difficulties over-flying Turkey. On 4 July, the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 34th Field Squadron arrived from Kenya.
The 1961 planned Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was quickly called off.
With the US becoming increasingly unreliable we really need a massive expansion of our fast jet force. If we just focus in the basics we can’t afford a substantial increase in RAF numbers. Ordering 70 F35A to match our existing orders of 74 F35B and pulling back all the tranche 1 typhoon airframes could get the RAF up to nearly 300 fast jets, an airforce which would easily be the most powerfully Airforce in Europe and a force that could completely dominate the Russian airforce.
That would give us far more security than an army of 100,000 or a navy with 30 escorts for much the same price.
For a nation of our size and responsibilities with the budget we have, what you said and on the last paragraph should be affordable, that is the problem.
Unreliable ally and ordering more F35s is a bit contradictory isn’t it?
If you look at production capacity and aircraft capability there is little choice but to go with F35. The US is unreliable but unlikely to try and block NATO Allie’s from using the F35 in a war with Russia.
The UK on its own could cripple US F35 production for a number of years if it ever found itself kicked out the program and permanently halt F35B production. The UK has the capability to update mission files which is the most critical component of the source code debate. Israel has also shown that it’s possible to get around most software issues especially if you’re willing to void the Lockheed Martin warranty.
I’m not massively concerned on the F35 issues as the UK holds a significant number of cards.
F35A is the plane that is best able to eradicate Russias air defence. With no air defence Russia has nothing more than a third world army of half trained mercenaries.
For the price of Ajax (£6billion) you could buy 70 more F35A. With nearly 200 a year coming off production lots you could bet them with in five years (We already have them pre ordered as part of our 138)
That is easily the most bang for the buck the UK could get for a small achievable budget increase. £800 million more lets you get the tranche 1 back with the same basic upgrade that Spain did for their tranche 1.
This is how countries like Finland think and that’s how they get so much bang for the buck. We don’t need more transporters , tankers, helicopters, VIP transports or ISTAR platforms . Just much more basic combat power.
“We already have them pre ordered as part of our 138”
We really don’t have that many on order ATM.
That said LM would have little issue in supplying the remaining F35B and 74 F35A to UK.
All that said Typhoon is massive overmatch to current Russian junk. Even more Typhoon would be useful and sensible.
Personally I’d like to see the 74 F35B bought – so that CSG and old Harrier uses can be covered off fully – that said part of the close ground function of Harrier GR is taken by Apache combined with the M270
RAF can then have 74 F35A or Typhoon balanced with the numbers that can be bought at what rates
Full fleet of Typhoon upgraded with the new radar/EW etc.
Part of the issue with sustainment is how small our fleets of anything are. This massively affects the costs statistics of keeping the long tail parts to hand. So increasing fleet size will decrease costs per flying hour as well as increasing the depth of specialist service personnel. There is also the issue of service teams being trained for the once-in-a-blue-moon parts swaps and again this makes much more financial sense with a larger pool of aircraft and maintainers. Sometimes playing the statistical reductionist pool game is counterproductive to unit costs as opposed to global costs. Currently constraining the global cost is driving up hte unit costs of flying hours.
Wow nothing left? Think your missing something really important. That third world army has the ability to create rather large mushroom clouds if it feels like it has lost.
It would be nice to see a modest fast jets, but we have ‘grey’ vulnerabilities which Putin will exploit. These need to be addressed: undersea communications, space based communications, cyber attacks, sabotage (physical and institutions) on UK and foreign assets. Ukraine and Iran show us that large numbers of relatively inexpensive drone and ballistic constitute a strategic threat in the sense that they are capable of undermining a society and economy and putting you in a very weak negotiating position. So I think sovereign GBAD against launched drones and missiles a high priority so Bastion is important. Agree QRA is part of this. M-346 and CAMM could be. Ability to deter ballistic missile attack is easier than defending against it, so initiatives like Nightfall and the Anglo-German 2000km missiles are important. A European Leonardo Michaelangelo ‘Iron Dome’ might be a long time coming.
If the Iran war has shown anything it is that GBAD is a waste of time against drones.
Typhoon and wildcat with laser guided weapons and the new drone interceptors is probably a much more effective way to guard the UK although it’s really hard to see how Russia can pose a substantial drone threat from over 2000km away with no direct line of attack at the UK.
I’m all for us having two Arrow 3 batteries and four SAMP/T batteries that could provide comprehensive coverage across the UK from IRBM’s
The UK really should send Trump an invoice for this. Oil price going up is going to destroy our economy and cost of defensive operations is not going to be small. All that for no objective or really any value. The Iranian regime is no closer to being removed. Friends like that, who needs enemies.