OPERATION TELIC

901 Expeditionary Air Wing

Tornado GR4

This week the RAF’s Tornado GR4s have been primarily tasked in the Basra and Al-Qurnah areas of Iraq:

• Close Air Support and Tactical reconnaissance sorties were flown over Baghdad.
• On the 18 May 2008 a Tornado GR4 dropped one Enhanced Paveway II east of Al Amarah.
• During the week hundreds of images were produced.
• On the 22 May 2008 a Tornado GR4 identified an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which was subsequently destroyed by a controlled explosion. The aircraft had been tasked to support a ground unit that had suffered vehicle damage and casualties from an IED south of Baghdad.

Hercules C130J

The Hercules C130J Detachment’s main effort this week has continued to be the ‘RIP’ – Relief In Place, in this instance 4 Mech Brigade being replaced by 7 Armd Brigade.

VC10 Tanker

The VC10 detachment supported UK and Coalition aircraft as usual.

901 Expeditionary Air Wing Detachment

Communication Fleet

This week, the BAE 125s have successfully supported the transit of nearly 40 people including:

• The Right Honourable Des Browne MP – Secretary of State for Defence.
• Mr Nick Clegg – Leader of the Liberal Democrats
• Major General White-Spunner - GOC MND(SE)

903 Expeditionary Air Wing

Basra International Airport Redevelopment

An essential precursor to the economic regeneration of the region, helping the Iraqis develop Basra International Airport (BIA) continues to be one of 903 EAW’s principal contributions to the overall mission in Iraq.

The number of civilian passenger flights into and out of BIA continues to increase steadily since the re-opening of the Airport to civilian passengers on the 15 April 2008; activity levels across the Airport continue to rise.

Op TELIC Passengers Moved by Strategic and Tactical Air Lift (Charter aircraft, C-130 and HS125)

Passengers Moved

Tactical Air Transport 3694

Charter 2865

Total 6559

902 Expeditionary Air Wing

Nimrod

The Nimrod detachment supported UK and Coalition forces as usual.

TriStar Tanker

The TriStar detachment supported UK and Coalition aircraft as usual.

Merlin Helicopter

The Merlin has continued its operational flying.

904 Expeditionary Air Wing

Harrier Force

This week has been as busy as ever.

This has meant our aircraft have offered real-time downlink motion video to the troops on the ground, and the use of their very (noisy!) presence to deter insurgents without recourse to lethal force.

However, when weapons must be used the Harriers will be pleased to do just that.

C130 Force

47 Air Dispatch Squadron had a very busy week this week with 7 drops over 5 days.

The UK’s C130s flew several hundred passengers including:

• Lord Inge
• The Right Honourable Des Browne MP – Secretary of State for Defence.
• Governor of Kandahar, Governor Khalid

Reaper

The majority of Reaper tasking this week has been in support of Task Force Kandahar, providing vital Intelligence that allows Coalition commanders to make better decisions.

No 1 Air Control Centre (ACC)

The Unit has been required to provide assistance to a number of Emergencies and Incident Response Teams (IRTs) this week; these incidents demonstrated the value of 1 ACC through the rapid dissemination of mission critical information to aircraft operators and concerned third parties.

Op HERRICK Passengers Moved by Strategic and Tactical Air Lift (TriStar, C-130 and HS125)

Passengers Moved

Tactical Air Transport 1369

Strategic Air Transport 1296

Total 2665

Photographs: RAF, MOD.

Header Image: A C17 Globemaster III at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

Image 1: A Tornado GR4 in the Middle East, a night parked in a Sun Shelter.

Image 2: Passengers wait for Air Transport.

Image 3: A Hercules C130J arriving in Oman.