United Kingdom’s Minister of State for the Armed Forces visits Air Coalition Leaders

Published June 11, 2016
By Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Deal
Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- Penny Mordaunt, U.K Minister of State for the Armed Forces visited with 83 Expeditionary Air Group personnel deployed to Al Udeid, Air Force Base June 3 to see first-hand how the group operates as part of the air Coalition and hear about their recent achievements.

During her visit she also met with Lt. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr, the U.S. Air Forces Central Command and Combined Forces Air Component commander to gain a greater understanding of the role the U.K plays as a Coalition partner committed to defeating Da’esh.

More than 60 nations are united and committed as a Coalition to combat Da’esh. AFCENT, along with the 19-nations, who make up the air Coalition, provide decisive air and space power for U.S. Central Command to ensure the stability of the Southwest Asia region.

“We are conducting the most precise air campaign in history, and we are able to attrite Da’esh and its capabilities anytime, anywhere,” Brown said. “Our efforts in combating terrorism today is made possible due to the continued commitment of our Coalition and regional partners have made and the tremendous capability and perspective each offers.”

Since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve in August 2014, the military campaign launched by the coalition resulted in the terrorist organization losing 45 percent of territory it controlled in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria.

The U.K's military contribution has been central to the successes of the AFCENT mission, providing kinetic strike and highly-advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in Iraq and Syria.

“All of the consolidated international work being done to defeat Da’esh is hugely important. Working together, we are seeing Da’esh lose territory,” Mordaunt said. “The U.K military is having an important impact both in the air and through training on the ground. The strike, ISR and support aircraft that the UK provides are hugely valued by the Coalition.

We must continue our combined action until these terrorists have been destroyed and the countries of Iraq and Syria back on their feet,” she added.

While this was Mordaunt’s first visit to the 83 EAG, she’s made several site visits to other U.K Armed Forces locations across the globe since her appointment to her post in May 2015.

“It’s hugely important that Government Ministers personally visit the units and meet the military teams and continue to show our appreciation for what they do. It is incredibly useful for me to meet with the men and women wherever they are to get a full understanding of what they are doing and the conditions in which they operate,” she said.