Airforces Tornado tribute

TORNADO TRIBUTE //

deployed to join the 903rd Expeditionary

Air Wing at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, to

start humanitarian support missions

alongside RAF C-130J Hercules and

RC-135W Rivet Joints, which had deployed

to the region a few weeks earlier.

The Tornados were at this stage providing

a specialist surveillance role; however,

following a British parliamentary vote,

they began flying armed missions over Iraq

on September 27. Unlike the US, the UK

limited its missions to Iraq in response to a

formal request for support from the Iraqis.

On September 30, 2014, the Tornados

dropped their first ordnance during an

armed reconnaissance mission. Two

GR4s were tasked to assist Kurdish troops

in northwest Iraq who were under attack

from IS militants, one Paveway IV bomb

being used to hit a heavy weapon position

engaging Kurdish ground forces. An IS

armed pick-up truck was then struck with

a Dual-Mode Seeker (DMS) Brimstone.

Following a further vote in parliament on

December 2, 2015, it was decided to expand

UK operations into Syria. A pair of GR4s

launched the first mission into Syrian territory

the same evening, attacking IS-controlled

oil wells in the east of the country.

The jets have continued operations over Iraq

and Syria ever since, with units deploying

on a rotational basis. As No II(AC) Squadron

completed the initial stint in theatre, it

re-equipped with Typhoon FGR4s at RAF

Lossiemouth. Meanwhile, to help sustain

Shader, No 12(B) Squadron re-formed in

order to retain the Tornado ‘mass’ required

to meet the ongoing role alongside Nos

IX(B) and 31 squadrons at Marham.

Under the leadership of Wg Cdr Nikki

Thomas, No 12(B) Squadron played

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com 67

Last blast

A Tornado GR4 with its RB199 engines in full reheat prepares to launch from RAF Akrotiri for the Him

Sinshar attack on April 14. Crown Copyright

The RAF has increased its Tornado detachment at Akrotiri to eight aircraft. Crown Copyright/Cpl L Matthews

Above: A GR4 returns to Akrotiri from one of the early Shader missions. Note that it hasn’t expended its

load of DMS Brimstones and Paveway IV. The aircraft also carries the standard infrared countermeasures

(IRCM) pod on the outboard station. Crown Copyright