British Typhoon jets continue their patrols over Syria as part of the long-running Operation Shader.
Launched in 2014, Operation Shader is the UK’s contribution to the global coalition against Daesh (ISIS), operating across Syria and Iraq.
The primary role of this mission is to support allied ground forces and conduct air strikes against identified terrorist targets.
A British Typhoon jet has crossed Israel and is over the West Bank. Typhoon jets conduct patrols over Syria and Iraq, supported by Voyager tankers (shown over Israel here), as part of #OpShader. The jets provide critical reconnaissance and engage hostile targets when necessary. pic.twitter.com/IZp4oPPGCy
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) June 3, 2024
Since the commencement of Operation Shader, the Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets have played an integral part in the UK’s efforts.
Over the years, these advanced multi-role combat aircraft have flown countless sorties, providing critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data, as well as engaging hostile targets when necessary.
British military aircraft spent a combined 16,255 flying hours against Daesh in Iraq and Syria over the last year.
I believe RAF Reapers, as shown in the picture, have been largely used in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Do we know how many Protectors are likely to end up there, given that we we bought the latest version (MQ-9B) to make sure they could fly in European civil airspace and reportedly fitted them with maritime radars?
Probably a good number of the fleet. However, having the capacity to re position and re role them is always useful regardless of how and where they are most likely to be deployed. Additionally the Protector fleet is almost twice the size of the Reaper fleet, so even if the Reapers in theatre are replaced at a 1 to 1 ratio we will still have surplus for ops in Europe.
Elsewhere, others have considered that strafing enemy positions in a CAS role is much too high a risk for the pilot and that we would not risk the loss of an expensive aeroplane, yet I understand that our Typhoons have done just that on Op Shader (and without loss). Extract from Wg Cdr Mike Sutton’s 2022 book ‘Typhoon’: ‘I eased the jet’s nose down and rested my index finger on the trigger. Three seconds to go. Almost 500 knots. The whole airframe pulsed as I started to fire . . .’ From the book blurb: ‘Mike Sutton led the RAF’s… Read more »
Thanks for that interesting extract.
Given that a2a combat is said to be Beyond Visual Range missile shots these days, I had wondered what guns were for on a multi role fighter.
Giving isis the good news seems like a fine a2g use. RRRRRRP!