More Tornados to join Iraq mission says British PM Cameron on visit to Cyprus airbase

More Tornados to join Iraq mission says Cameron on visit to Cyprus airbase

British PM flies to Cyprus in move that reveals extent to which he recognises Isis campaign is likely to take time

An RAF Tornado GR4 returning to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Photograph: Cpl Neil Bryden/RAF/Mod/Crown Co/PA

David Cameron flew on Thursday night to the RAF base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, from which British pilots are launching air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) targets in Iraq, announcing he was to send a further two Tornado GR4 planes to supplement the six currently operating.

The prime minister also disclosed that, as the Guardian revealed on Thursday, the RAF 11 squadron based in Cyprus is to operate for longer than April next year, the date they were due to be replaced. The decision represents a minor triumph for the air force, which has been arguing about the importance of air power in conflicts in the Middle East.

Akrotiri Limassol

Tornados first brought into service in 1991 during the first Gulf war are due to be disbanded by 2019 in a staged process, but some squadrons due to be taken out of service earlier are now to be reprieved.

A new class of Eurofighter Tornado is to replace the current fleet, but the new class is not yet able to load Brimstone missiles effective against small- and medium-sized targets such as Islamic State vehicles.
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Britain is believed to be considering whether to help train the moderate Syrian opposition, a plan proposed by former chief of defence staff Lord Richards before he retired last year but previously rejected by ministers.

Building up Syrian forces allied to the moderate opposition, along with better Iraqi troops, are seen as vital, although it would take a long time.

The government is planning to send British troops to train the Iraqi army. It is unclear whether they will be trained in Iraq or neighbouring countries such as Jordan, or the Gulf states.

A small number of British military personnel are already on the ground in northern Iraq supporting Kurdish peshmerga.

Cameron’s last-minute decision to fly to the airbase in the immediate wake of his party conference reveals the extent to which he recognises the campaign is likely to take time. Some politicians have described the contribution of British air power to the coalition as symbolic, but this is denied by the UK which claims the US admires the accuracy of the Brimstone missile.

Cameron said: “Less than a week into combat operations in Iraq, I wanted to come here to thank our troops for the vital work they’re doing to defeat these barbaric Isil terrorists who threaten security not just in Iraq, Syria and the region but on the streets of Britain too.”

The air strikes by US and UK aircraft are understood to have forced a change of behaviour in Isis fighters. They have less freedom of movement and are less mobile. However, intelligence gathering on Isis has shown they are extremely well-organised, with their own shura – or councils of elders – regional governors, and welfare networks.

Britain currently has seven combat capable air squadrons compared with the 15 the French air force has. The RAF had 30 combat squadrons at the time of the first Gulf war, and for years has been protesting its contribution to military conflicts in uncontested air space is invaluable.

The ageing Tornados – some older than 30 years – have flown as many as 30 surveillance operations over Iraq since mid-August, but were only given political clearance to launch air strikes against Isis forces, mainly in northern Iraq, after MPs voted a week ago for the use of force so long as it does not extend to Syria.

The RAF has so far launched strikes on four sorties against Isis assets such as pickup trucks, normally on the advice of Kurdish forces on the ground. The planes may be old, but they are equipped with modern radar and infra-red sights capable of giving highly detailed information on targets.

Government sources said the despatch of the extra Tornados did not signify an increase in the tempo of attacks, but instead a move to build the overall resilience of the strike force now that it is clear that the air campaign may be a long one.

The prime minister added: “Obviously, these operations are just one element of our strategy. We are also working hard to deliver a training package for Iraqi forces with advisers in Iraq now to assess their needs.”

The RAF has argued that the precision of the Brimstone missile is unique as it is capable of hitting a car moving at 70mph from seven miles away.

RAF Akrotiri is the UK’s Permanent Joint Operating Base that supports ongoing operations in Afghanistan and has been in service 30 years, used as a forward mounting base for overseas operations in the Middle East and for modern radar infrared sights jet training.

Cameron has visited Akrotiri before during RAF operations to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya three years ago. As many as 20 Tornados were operating during the Libya campaign where the US took a more backward role and focussed on air surveillance.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon

Britain and Saudi Arabia are the only two countries that operate Brimstones, that are thought to cost £100,000 each.

RAF 2 Squadron is normally based at RAF Marham, Norfolk. It has 12 crews based there.

theguardian.com | Photos: twitter.com/Tornado%20RAF%20Akrotiri%Cyprus