OP HERRICK – 31 October 2010

This has been another very busy week for the UK Air Component. RAF Force Elements have been successfully contributing to UK Land force missions and producing significant ISR support to Op HAMKARI. Whilst the ground commanders have been eager to gain situational awareness from Air Assets, to allow improved manoeuvre across a wide field of operations, there has also been a recent increase in Kinetic attacks against insurgents. This increase was anticipated and Op HAMKARI Air Assets were prioritized as the Afghan led ISAF Op pushed into new insurgent strongholds.

Tornado

Number 14 Sqn had another successful week where the main effort was armed over watch and ISR for Op HAMKARI. There was significant success in the Counter-IED role, with tremendous identification work carried out by the imagery analyst of the Tornado Imagery Wing. The Tornados carried out 3 successful Shows Of Force to deter insurgent attacks against friendly ground forces.

Reaper

Reaper again successfully completed its planned missions in support of a broad spectrum of operations in RC(South) and RC(South West). In one notable event REAPER was authorized to engage insurgent IED emplacers and friendly ground forces confirmed the destruction of the IED with no collateral damage to any surrounding areas.

Nimrod R1

The Nimrod R1 of Number 51 (Reconnaissance) Squadron based in the Gulf continued to fly in support of coalition forces in Southern Afghanistan. It has been used to great success in conjunction with other high value air assets from coalition air forces.

VC10

A VC10 of Number 101 Squadron, based in the Gulf, delivered nearly 160 tons of fuel during air-to-air operations. These operations range across the whole of Afghanistan and provide fuel to many coalition aircraft and have this week also been used to assist planned flights of UK based aircraft en route to training detachments abroad.

Sentinel

Sentinels of Number 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron flew all their planned sorties to provide highly valuable situational awareness to ground commanders during.

SKASaC

Royal Navy Sea King helicopters have provided high quality ISR product for UK and coalition ground troops in and around Helmand province. Their ground mapping radar has provided ground commanders detailed situational awareness over wide areas of Southern Afghanistan.

Hercules

The Hercules C-130J aircraft of 901 EAW has continued to move freight and passengers around the Middle East. The Kandahar based C130J aircraft of 904 EAW is still an integral part of the RIP chain of transport and completed many sorties everyday moving troops and equipment around theatre.

Comms Fleet

The Bae 125s and 126s of the RAF’s Communications Fleet have had a very busy period moving VIPs, other personnel and urgent equipment around the Middle East.

Editor: Sqn Ldr P R Lipscomb.

Photography: Sgt Corrine Buxton