RAF personnel are supporting the coordination of airspace activities in the Middle East from across the Atlantic at a US Air Force Base in South Carolina, according to the RAF here.
Deployed to Shaw Air Force Base, the team of nine is comprised of Weapons Controllers, Air Traffic Controllers, System Operators and Air and Space Operations specialists who work as part of a coalition force alongside US Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force contingents at the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, known as KINGPIN.
According to this news release:
“KINGPIN provides around the clock tactical command and control of 1.1 million square miles of airspace including Iraq, Syria and the Arabian Gulf. It serves as the lead control and reporting centre directly providing the Combined Air Operations Centre, located in the Middle East, with a common air picture contributing to the stability and security effort in the region.
There is no delineation between nations within the KINGPIN operating centre; allies are embedded together working as one team to direct a range of coalition aircraft to manage the battlespace and deter any adversary threat within the area of responsibility. The UK contingent have been fully integrated into this process, governing a range of RAF aircraft, including Typhoons, Atlas and Voyagers.”
Hi folks hope all is well.
Good to see the close working relationship with our allies. So that’s three out of the Five Eyes. Although a bit surprised this information is now public given the activities of the Houthis and Iran in the region.
Cheers
George
Hi George
Good to hear from you, as always.
I guess the point in releasing this information is to say to the Houtis – and anyone else – we’re watching you, we can control the airspace if necessary, with a mass of coalition air power; so don’t think about messing with us!
Not sure if everyone would choose listen to the message, of course. Still, it’s impressive – the knowledge the West already has about the Houti’s current Order of Battle.
Cheers
That must be a very interesting job.
All the best crabs.
Thank you David!
As I mentioned on another thread the less often regarded strength of the west – building an alliance – is a core strength to facing down those who challenge it. Others could only dream about such multilateral co-operation and projection of force.
There will doubtless be some folk thinking that we should just be looking after our own ‘backyard’ and not doing this sort of ‘Global Britain’ activity. I would disagree. Our forces are a force for good in this world.
Tell that to Labour. If they take that on board, I’m reassured. If not, I’m frankly shitting myself at what happens at the next SDSR.
This country is a P5/G7 nation with numerous historical, cultural, military, political and economic links around the world and should act accordingly.
That means having an effective military and being involved in world affairs, especially with the rise of China and ongoing Russian, Iranian activities in the Grey Zone.
I think that if Labour get in they will soon realise that we have two aircraft carriers to employ in the ‘Seven Seas’.
I fully agree that we are a globalised nation. We are not just a medium-size European nation that will rarely, if ever, look beyond our own continent.