Royal Air Force - Royaume-Uni

Additional Merlin Aircraft Arrive at RAF Benson

The first of six new Merlin battlefield helicopters arrived at RAF Benson yesterday to allow aircrew and groundcrew to begin training on them.

The acquisition of these additional Merlin aircraft was announced by Des Browne, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 30 March as part of a package of measures to enhance battlefield support helicopter capability available to operational commanders. These aircraft will increase the Merlin Support Helicopter fleet by over 25%.

Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said "It would normally have taken at least three years to provide these additional aircraft via a conventional route. However, we have taken an innovative approach and, with the assistance of the Danish Government, we will be able to provide a significant boost to our support helicopter force in under 12 months. Together with the two new C-17s that will be delivered next year, these helicopters underline our commitment to providing our forces with the capabilities they need."

The six Merlin were acquired from the Royal Danish Air Force under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in June 2007. The second aircraft is due to arrive at RAF Benson later this week. The remaining four are being prepared for operational use and deployment at AgustaWestland in Yeovil.

The six aircraft are expected to be ready for operations in Afghanistan from March 2008.

RAF prepares to use Typhoon in combat By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent

The long-awaited Eurofighter will be flown in combat for the first time next year when it is deployed to Afghanistan, defence sources disclosed yesterday.

Eight Eurofighter Typhoon aircrafts are expected to be deployed to Kandahar air base next year

The first of two redesigned £80 million jets able to attack ground forces as well as enemy aircraft have been delivered to the RAF this week, The Daily Telegraph has learnt. For the next year RAF pilots will be training hard to fly the supersonic jets at speeds of up to Mach 2 at 100ft through narrow valleys as they prepare the aircraft for the war in Helmand province.

By next July, eight of the aircraft, named Typhoons, are expected to be deployed to Kandahar air base to begin supporting British and Nato troops in their fight against the Taliban.

But it has been a long and expensive acquisition, with the aircraft initially expected into service by 2000. Almost £13 billion has been spent on the Eurofighter Typhoon programme and this figure is expected to rise to £20 billion when all 232 have been delivered to the RAF.

Nevertheless, they should prove a major asset when they replace the aging Harrier squadron that has been operating successfully in Afghanistan since 2004.

Being able to achieve speeds of more than 1,500mph and carrying a probable payload of two 1,000lb, laser guided Paveway bombs, the multi-role Typhoons will be able to deliver devastating firepower.

While the Harriers have been useful they are generally second on to the battlefield, with American jets with greater fuel capacity that are able to loiter over the ground providing the primary punch for British troops.

But by carrying extra fuel pods and with mid-air refuelling, the Typhoons, built in Britain by BAE Systems, can be stationed for several hours in the air, providing cover and support for troops during gun battles that sometimes last an entire day.

The sophisticated Sniper surveillance system will also allow pilots to view the battlefield through the eyes of ground troops, allowing them to drop bombs with pinpoint accuracy. The development means that in addition to being able to take on other fighters, the RAF Typhoons will be able to attack ground targets. The 27mm cannons will be used for the first time once ammunition can be supplied.

Wing Co Gavin Parker, officer commanding of XI Squadron, which took delivery of the latest fighters, said: "The Typhoon is already an exceptional air-to-air fighter and is demonstrating excellent potential in the air-to-surface role. It will make it a fantastic close air support machine."

Tuckson a écrit

Rafighter a écrit

La seule différence que je vois avec le passage du Rafale en Afghanistan, c'est que l'appareil emportera un pod laser (Litening) au lieu d'avoir recours à un autre avion pour le faire à sa place…

… et qu'il aura besoin du Rafale comme nounou pour les longs périples.

Clansman a écrit

Les russes sont contents ? Ils ont pu faire plein de mesures ?

Tuckson a écrit

La mission nounou est en aucun cas une bêtise.