SOUTHWEST ASIA -- This year marks the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, ending a six-year deployment of land forces that began with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, said Sqn Ldr Barry Jessel, Royal Air Force Public Affairs. But the draw-down is even more symbolic for the RAF, which has been committed to operations in and over Iraq for far longer, maintaining a constant and unbroken presence for 19 years.
"The nineteen years of operations that followed have defined today's [Royal Air Force] shaping its transformation from a largely static, Cold War air force, organized to fight from established bases well behind the front line, into today's expeditionary air force where airmen and women expect to deploy and fight in the most austere locations," said Sqn Ldr Barry Jessel, RAF Public Affairs. "This exposure to intense operations over twenty years has kept standards high and driven requirements for the most effective equipment. The pressure of constant combat has evolved today's RAF into a smaller, but far more capable and battle-hardened force.
This two-decade long commitment started seven days after the U.N. resolution upon the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, when the British Government announced the deployment of Tornado F3, Jaguar GR Mk 1, TriStar transports, VC10 tankers, C-130 Hercules, Buccaneer Mk 2Bs as well as RAF helicopters including Sea-Kings, Pumas and Chinooks. With 50 Tornado and 12 Jaguar aircraft in the region, the RAF was set to help end the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Operation Desert Storm opened on January 16, 1991, with the first air missions being air-defense suppression.
"After Iraqi air defenses were defeated, RAF Tornados destroyed the Iraqi airfields using Hunting JP233 runway denial weapons; amongst the most dangerous air missions of the Persian Gulf War," said Squadron Leader Jessel.
The Tornados suffered the highest loss-to-mission ratios of the war, being withdrawn shortly after to conserve aircraft and their crews, he said. Tornados were used again to suppress Iraqi air defenses once the Alarm missile arrived in theater. With the onset of the 100-hour ground war, the effort moved to defeating the remaining Iraqi ground forces.
In 1992, coalition forces began enforcing no-fly zones over Iraq in Operations Northern and Southern Watch. The Tornados, the Jaguars and VC10s operated out of Turkey in the north under the United Kingdom banner Operation Warden. The Tornado F3s, operating out of Saudi Arabia, and the GR4s, operating out of Kuwait, flew under the United Kingdom banners of operations Jural and Bolton.In December 1998, Operation Desert Fox consisted of a coalition force of U.S. assets and United Kingdom Tornado GR4s to target and destroy effective and offensive Iraqi military capabilities. All three operations were combined under the single United Kingdom banner of Operation Resinate (north and south) in 2001.
Operation Telic 1 was carried out between March 20 and April 9, 2003 in response to the Iraqi breaches of U.N. resolutions and rapidly became commonly known as the second Gulf War. Thereafter, 901st and 903rd Expeditionary Air Wings supported provincial reconstruction teams and the U.N.'s International Security Assistance Forces working in the region, with the United Kingdom Air Component Command being led from the headquarters at 83rd Expeditionary Air Group here.
In December 2008 here, the Tornado's capabilities were expanded through the first operational flight of a new Dual-Mode Seeker Brimstone Missile -- enhancing the GR4's capability to engage static and fast-moving targets when providing support to coalition forces in Iraq.
"The RAF's nineteen years in Iraq has left a legacy. Quite simply, it has had to transform itself while 'in contact' to maintain its relevance as a fighting service, switching from major conventional warfare through twelve years of air policing to support visceral and intense counter-insurgency operations," said Squadron Leader Jessel. "Adaptability and agility, in both people and equipment, have been the keys to success. An operational and expeditionary mind-set, founded on genuine and prolonged combat experience, is now firmly ingrained in every aspect of the RAF's culture and this provides confidence that in the future, the service will continue to rise to the challenge of delivering effective air power across the whole spectrum of potential operations."
A sunset ceremony held on the 901st EAW's flightline today marks the final United Kingdom combat air mission to be carried out in the Gulf theater. Operation Telic 13 witnesses the final chapter for United Kingdom Combat Air Operations in Iraq, as the Tornado GR4 and VC10 aircraft cease combat air operations, but the C-130 air transport here will continue to support the small number of United Kingdom forces engaged in any residual tasks. Since the first deployment in 1990, thirty five RAF and Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel have given their lives while serving their country.
To summarize the history of United Kingdom combat operations, United Kingdom Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Tony Barmby said, "As the United Kingdom ends 19 years of combat air operations in the skies over Iraq, I am privileged to have had the opportunity to command the RAF folk who support, engineer and operate the Tornado GR4 recce/strike, VC10 tanker and the C-130 aircraft. I could not have wished for a more outstandingly professional group of airmen and airwomen."