TYPHOONS FROM RAF LOSSIEMOUTH have been deployed on missions mainly in support of Iraqi forces, according to the latest Ministry of Defence bulletin on activity in the region.
In an update on activities by aircraft since their deployment from Moray earlier this month, the defence update says that the Typhoons have been operating primarily in support of ground forces in Northern and Western Iraq.
On Thursday two Typhoons worked in tandem with an advancing Iraqi unit that had discovered a string of improvised explosive devices being blocking the road. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The Typhoons dropped a pair of Paveway IVs, which safely detonated the Daesh booby-traps.”
Earlier in the week Typhoons flew alongside Tornado jets in providing close air support to the Kurdish Peshmerga in Northern Iraq. The spokesman said: “Our aircraft delivered numerous precision attacks on terrorist targets, to the north and west of Mosul where the Peshmerga were engaged in close combat with Daesh, using a mixture of Brimstone, Hellfire, Paveway IV and GBU-12 missiles and bombs.
“In total, these RAF strikes are estimated to have successfully destroyed four heavy machine-gun positions, two terrorist teams armed with rockets, three Daesh vehicles, one of which was a large truck-bomb, and six groups of terrorists.
“In addition, the two Reapers were able to use their advanced reconnaissance sensors to assist twelve successful attacks by other coalition aircraft.
“A further pair of Typhoons conducted tactical reconnaissance and another Tornado mission returned to Ramadi, where they destroyed a heavy machine-gun position and two terrorist-held buildings.”
Since the UK Government vote that gave permission for air operation over Syria and six Typhoons were deployed with supporting ground crew from Lossiemouth to RAF Akrotiri, the aircraft have been on almost daily missions over both Syria and Iraq.