26/01/2016 Sources : Etat-major des armées

Dans la nuit du 25 au 26 janvier 2016, la force Chammal a frappé un site utilisé à des fins militaires par Daech à Mossoul en Irak.

Constituée de Mirage 2000 et de Rafale, la patrouille a délivré son armement contre un site occupé par l’organisation terroriste. Situés au nord de la ville de Mossoul, ces hangars et ces bâtiments abritaient un dépôt de munitions, des stocks d’armement ainsi qu’un centre de commandement de Daech.

Les aéronefs du raid ont été ravitaillés en vol par  un MRTT britannique et un C-135 FR français. Cette mission illustre l’interopérabilité des capacités françaises avec les autres moyens engagés par nos alliés.

La coalition et la France mènent actuellement des campagnes aériennes de frappes planifiées ciblant des sites de commandement et de télécommunications de Daech dans la ville de Mossoul. La semaine dernière, deux raids ont été conduits contre l’organisation terroriste dans cette région – détruisant deux centres de commandement et de communication.

Lancée le 19 septembre 2014, l’opération Chammal mobilise actuellement 3 500 militaires. Aux côtés de la coalition, elle combat le groupe terroriste Daech en Irak et en Syrie, en frappant l’organisation terroriste avec ses moyens aériens. Le dispositif de la force Chammal comprend également des militaires projetés à Bagdad et Erbil pour assurer la formation et le conseil des militaires irakiens. Les moyens aériens sont composés de 38 chasseurs (armée de l’Air et Marine nationale), ainsi que de capacités de renseignement, de commandement, de contrôle (C2) et de ravitaillement. Depuis le 23 novembre 2015, le groupe aéronaval (GAN) est intégré à la force Chammal. Il est composé du porte-avions Charles de Gaulle, de la frégate de défense aérienne (FDA) Chevalier Paul, de la frégate multi-mission (FREMM) Aquitaine, du bâtiment de commandement et de ravitaillement (BCR) Marne, de la frégate allemande Augsburg. Le 18 janvier 2016, la frégate légère furtive (FLF) Surcouf a également rejoint le dispositif Chammal en Méditerranée orientale. Si nécessaire, le dispositif peut être soutenu par des moyens complémentaires de ravitaillement (C135-FR) et de contrôle aérien (E3F).

An F-22 Raptor, Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 and French air force Rafale fly in formation as part of a trilateral exercise held at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Dec. 7, 2015. The exercise simulates a highly contested, degraded and operationally limited environment where U.S. and partner pilots and ground crews can test their readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kayla Newman)

20 December 2015 Ministry of Defence

British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh

Royal Air Force aircraft have continued operations against Daesh, including the most intensive day of air strikes so far.

Our Tornados, Typhoons and Reapers are flying daily armed reconnaissance missions against Daesh, and the additional aircraft which we have deployed to RAF Akrotiri allow us to conduct operations over Syria whilst still providing very effective support to the Iraqi and Kurdish troops, who have already liberated some 40% of the Iraqi territory first seized by the terrorists in summer 2014

On Tuesday 15 December, two Tornado GR4s patrolled over eastern Syria and northern Iraq and conducted a successful attack with a Paveway IV laser and GPS guided bomb to destroy a terrorist mortar position near Sinjar. Further south, two Typhoon FGR4s supported the Iraqi army in its operations around Ramadi, and struck a Daesh encampment with two Paveway IVs. A second pair of Tornados flew another mission over northern Iraq and destroyed an enemy mortar with a Paveway.

Wednesday 16 December proved to be the most intensive day of combat operations by RAF aircraft since the start of the campaign in September 2014. A pair of Tornados assisted the Iraqi troops battling Daesh on the outskirts of Ramadi, and used Paveway IVs to destroy two heavy machine-gun positions, a sniper team and a group of terrorist fighters.

In northern Iraq, two Tornados, two Typhoons and two Reapers, provided sustained close air support to the Kurdish peshmerga. 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.

Operations continued on Thursday 17 December, when a Tornado patrol south of Sinjar was able to destroy three vehicles with Brimstone missiles. In western Iraq, Typhoons worked very closely with an advancing Iraqi unit which had discovered a string of improvised explosive devices blocking the road. The Typhoons dropped a pair of Paveway IVs, which safely detonated the Daesh booby-traps. During the evening, another Tornado mission in northern Iraq located a large group of terrorists massing for an attempted attack on a Kurdish position, and delivered two Paveways into their midst.

16/12/2015 ADJ Jean-Laurent Nijean - Armée de l'air

Mardi 15 décembre 2015, un DV Day (Distinguished Visitor Day / journée consacrée aux autorités) a été organisée sur la base aérienne de Langley en Virginie à l’occasion du Trilateral Exercise Initiative (TEI) qui se déroule du 2 au 18 décembre.

Pour cette réunion au sommet, le général Antoine Creux, inspecteur général des armées/air, a représenté le général André Lanata, chef d’état-major de l’armée de l’air (CEMAA), aux côtés de l’Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, CEMAA britannique (Chief of the Air Staff), du général Mark Welsh (CEMAA américain), du général Hawk Carliste, commandant l’Air Combat Command (COMACC) et du général Frank Gorenk, commandant l’USAF en Europe (COMUSAFE).

La journée a commencé avec la présentation en vol du F22 Raptor, le fer de lance de l’aviation de chasse de l’USAF. Après cette démonstration dynamique, les autorités militaires de l’armée de l’air française, de la Royal Air Force et de l’US Air Force ont pu assister aux phases de briefing et de debriefing des missions du jour. Elles ont pu dresser un premier bilan de cet exercice trilatéral. « L’équipe qui a participé à cet exercice nous a présenté les principaux enseignements. Le premier défi était de réaliser cet exercice avec nos avions les plus modernes et de les faire travailler ensemble, souligne le général Creux. C’est une totale réussite les aviateurs des trois nations ont développé des tactiques ensemble, ont appris à se connaître et ont renforcé leur confiance mutuelle. »

Pour clôturer cette journée, le général Creux a ensuite rencontré les aviateurs français sur leur lieu de travail : en piste, dans le hangar de la mécanique et dans le local opérations (DDF – deployable debrifing facility). « Lors de ma visite du détachement français, j’ai vu qu’ils avaient tous le sourire car ils ont beaucoup appris de cet exercice et ont vécu une excellente expérience », témoigne le général.

10.12.2015 source Aerobuzz.fr

Boeing a livré (7 décembre 2015) le 14ème et dernier Mk6 Chinook commandé par le Royaume Uni. Ce qui porte à 60 la flotte des Chinook de la Royal Air Force. Cette livraison coïncide aussi avec le 35ème anniversaire de l’entrée en service de cet hélicoptère lourd au sein des forces aériennes britanniques. Les H-47 Chinook sont utilisés depuis 1980 pour le transport de troupes, pour des missions d’assaut et des évacuations sanitaires.

07/12/2015 Adj Jean-Laurent Nijean - Armée de l'air

Vendredi 4 décembre 2015, 6h15, base aérienne de Langley (Virginie, États-Unis). Malgré l’heure matinale, des pilotes américains, britanniques et français sont réunis pour un briefing avant les premiers vols de l’exercice TEI (Trilateral Exercise Initiative).

Après avoir rejoint leurs appareils respectifs, les pilotes entament tour à tour un ballet de décollage sans précédent, sous les yeux impressionnés de l’ensemble des mécaniciens et des participants à l’exercice, fiers d’assister à un tel rassemblement d’aéronefs de dernière génération.

Cet entraînement de très haut niveau mobilise les États-Unis, la France et le Royaume-Uni, qui y engagent certains de leurs appareils les plus performants. Pour l’occasion, près de 500 aviateurs des trois nations sont déployés.

La première journée était consacrée aux vols de familiarisation, permettant aux pilotes de reconnaître les procédures et les spécificités du terrain. Jusqu’au mardi 8 décembre, des missions simples, dites de type BFM (Basic Fighter Maneuver), sont au programme. Lors de celles-ci, les pilotes s’affrontent en duel, ou par patrouilles (deux contre deux), dans des combats rapprochés surnommés « Dogfights ». « Pour ce premier vol, mon équipier et moi, nous nous sommes entraînés contre deux Typhoon britanniques, explique le capitaine C. Notre playtime (autonomie d’action) nous a permis d’effectuer deux joutes. »

Cinq Rafale ont décollé en trois vagues successives pour rallier des F22 Raptor ou des Eurofighter Typhoon. Après la mission, les pilotes français étaient pleinement satisfaits de leur première expérience dans l’espace aérien américain. « C’est un bonheur de s’entraîner avec des pilotes d’un tel niveau et équipés, de surcroît, d’avions de chasse de dernière génération, ajoute le pilote de Rafale. Nous avons hâte que le niveau de difficulté monte d’un cran pour travailler à l’amélioration de l’interopérabilité entre nos trois nations et apprendre les uns des autres. »

L’objectif de TEI est, en effet, de maintenir et d’améliorer l’interopérabilité et la connaissance mutuelle entre trois armées de l’air qui partagent une longue histoire commune. Les États-Unis, le Royaume-Uni et la France ont également en commun un haut niveau de préparation opérationnelle sur un spectre très large de missions aériennes.

La Grande-Bretagne a conduit ses premières frappes aériennes en Syrie contre les positions du groupe État islamique ce matin, quelques heures seulement après le feu vert du Parlement, a annoncé le ministère de la Défense.

Des Tornado de la Royal Air Force ont "effectué la première opération offensive au-dessus de la Syrie lors de laquelle ils ont conduit des frappes", a souligné un porte-parole du ministère.

Le ministère de la Défense a pour l'instant refusé de détailler les cibles visées par les quatre Tornado ayant décollé dans la nuit de la base de la RAF à Chypre.

Ces frappes interviennent quelques heures seulement après que le Parlement a approuvé massivement l'extension à la Syrie des raids aériens que la Grande-Bretagne effectuait déjà en Irak contre l'EI. Le Parlement a voté par 397 voix pour, 223 voix contre, en faveur des frappes.

17.11.2015 Minister of Defence
 

Latest update

Royal Air Force aircraft have maintained intensive air operations against ISIL terrorists in Iraq.

On Friday 13 November, Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri, supported by a Voyager air tanker, provided close air support to Iraqi troops fighting in the area around Ramadi. Our aircraft conducted four successful attacks on a set of Da’ish terrorist positions, using a combination of Paveway IV guided bombs and Brimstone missiles. A second Tornado patrol continued to support the Iraqi forces during the night, and destroyed a terrorist armoured personnel carrier with a direct hits from a Brimstone missile. Meanwhile, further north an RAF Reaper assisted an Iraqi unit which reported that, following a firefight, a group of Da’ish terrorists had taken shelter in a derelict industrial site, hiding under an oil tank. Despite the close proximity of the Iraqi soldiers, the Reaper’s crew were able to direct a GBU-12 guided bomb onto the terrorist position and destroy it, without risk to the friendly forces.

As Kurdish troops continued on Sunday 15 November their successful offensive in northern Iraq, an RAF Reaper flew overwatch, destroying a terrorist vehicle with a Hellfire missile. The Reaper then crossed into Syrian airspace where it conducted routine intelligence collection against ISIL and provided surveillance support to the major French air strike on a large terrorist facility near Raqqa. On Monday 16 November, two successive Tornado patrols extended the support to the Kurdish offensive. The first flight used a Paveway bomb to destroy a mortar position which had opened fire on the Kurds. The following mission destroyed a heavy machine-gun near Mosul with a Paveway IV, then proceeded west towards Sinjar. There was heavy cloud, which may have encouraged the terrorists to assume that they were safe from air attack, but working very closely with the Kurdish forces, the GR4s were able to guide a Paveway onto a large group of over 30 Da’ish terrorists who were massing for a counter-attack; the Kurdish unit subsequently reported that the air strike had been highly effective. The Tornado patrol then destroyed another ISIL mortar position south-west of Sinjar.

see all updates

12 November 2015 Ministry of Defence

As Kurdish forces launch a major offensive against ISIL terrorists in northern Iraq, the Royal Air Force has been playing a full part in coalition reconnaissance and strike missions to provide effective air support to them and other Iraqi ground forces.

ISIL terrorists are under heavy pressure in both northern Iraq, where the Kurdish peshmerga continue to push them back, and in Anbar province, where Iraqi troops have isolated the ISIL forces inside Ramadi. RAF Tornado GR4 and Reaper aircraft have flown daily armed reconnaissance missions over both areas, as part of the coalition’s intensive air campaign, and have conducted precision attacks in close coordination with the Iraqi ground forces. A particular focus has been around Sinjar city, in preparation for a large Kurdish offensive which began on 12 November to drive ISIL from their remaining positions in the southern part of the town. ISIL positions in and around Sinjar have been methodically targeted by coalition aircraft ahead of the ground assault by the Kurdish security forces.

As part of these preparations for the Kurdish attack, on Thursday 5 November, Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri were able, despite bad weather, to use Paveway IV guided bombs against a pair of ISIL fortified positions near Sinjar; the Kurdish unit whom the GR4s were supporting confirmed that both terrorist positions had been destroyed.

The GR4s were again in action over northern Iraq on Sunday 8 November, destroying a further two ISIL positions near Tal Afar, which had been firing at Kurdish forces, including a rocket launch site concealed in a building.

The next day, the GR4s provided close air support to a Kurdish unit on the outskirts of Sinjar, which was in close combat with terrorists, armed with rocket-propelled grenades, who were defending a fortified compound. Despite the proximity of the Kurdish troops, our aircrew were able to conduct a carefully planned attack with two Paveway IV guided bombs that destroyed the compound.

On Wednesday 11 November, a Reaper used a GBU-12 guided bomb to destroy a terrorist-held building near Sinjar, then successfully attacked with a Hellfire missile a group of ISIL fighters as they attempted to move to a new position. Meanwhile, over Ramadi, a Tornado patrol destroyed a terrorist truck bomb with a Brimstone missile.

In addition to these reconnaissance and strike missions, other RAF aircraft continue to provide invaluable support to the coalition air campaign. Voyager air tankers refuel not just RAF but other coalition fast jets to enable them to extend their patrols over Iraq, whilst Sentinel strategic surveillance aircraft are highly valued for their ability to collect detailed intelligence on terrorist positions and movements. Hercules transport aircraft provide essential logistic support across the operational area, particularly for the British military training teams that are helping the Iraqi and Kurdish forces develop the capabilities they need to combat the terrorists ever more effectively.

see all updates

5 November 2015 Ministry of Defence

ISIL terrorists in Iraq have been struck repeatedly by Royal Air Force air strikes conducted over the past week in support of the Iraqi forces fighting on the ground.

Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri, supported by a Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker, provided close air support to Iraqi troops operating near Bayji on Thursday 29 October. A number of ISIL terrorists were observed manoeuvring towards an Iraqi position, and our aircraft successfully attacked three groups with Paveway IV guided bombs. Later that day, another GR4 flight conducted a strike on a fortified terrorist position near Tal Afar in the north-west of the country, hitting three targets with Paveways.

On Friday 30 October, a pair of GR4s again provided close air support to the Iraqi army, on this occasion near the occupied city of Ramadi. Two Paveways successfully disrupted an attempted terrorist attack on an Iraqi unit. The ISIL terrorists then opened fire on the Iraqis with two light anti-aircraft cannons. Despite difficult weather conditions, the highly capable GR4s were able to target the gun positions using a second pair of Paveway IVs, and both terrorist guns were knocked out and the threat to them removed.

On Sunday 1 November, an RAF Reaper used a Hellfire missile to destroy a group of terrorists in close combat with Iraqi troops, while a second Reaper, operating over Anbar province, worked in close cooperation with coalition fast jets to assist Iraqi operations to isolate the ISIL terrorists in and around Ramadi. The Reaper provided surveillance support to six coalition air strikes on terrorists manoeuvring in the area, and conducted four highly accurate strikes of its own using Hellfire missiles on groups of extremists as they attempted to reposition themselves against the advancing Iraqi forces. In north-west Iraq, Tornado GR4s were meanwhile supporting Kurdish peshmerga near Sinjar: three Paveway attacks destroyed an armed pick-up truck, a weapons cache, and a sniper position.

The following day, Monday 2 November, a Reaper conducted three successful strikes with two Hellfire missiles and a GBU-12 guided bomb against ISIL terrorist positions in western Iraq, including an anti-aircraft gun which the Reaper had located.

On Tuesday 3 November, a GR4 patrol again provided support to the Kurdish forces near Sinjar. A Brimstone missile destroyed a terrorist weapons cache, and a Paveway destroyed a mortar position on the top of a building.

On the ground, the coalition effort to train and equip the Iraqi security forces continues apace, with British military instructors playing a significant role, in particular leading the training programme on how to counter the threat from improvised terrorist explosive devices and booby-traps. RAF Sentinel surveillance aircraft play an important part in the coalition’s collection of intelligence on ISIL positions and movements, while Hercules transports provide the essential logistic support to the headquarters and training teams deployed in Iraq and neighbouring partner nations.

see all updates

Nov 2, 2015 ASDNews Source : Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has awarded contracts worth a combined GBP15 million for 2 new projects at RAF Lossiemouth to support the station's Typhoon aircraft.

RAF Lossiemouth is an RAF fast jet main operating base and is home to squadrons operating both the Typhoon and Tornado jets. The station is also the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North base, meaning that it provides crews and jets to intercept unidentified aircraft in UK airspace.

The contract for an Installed Engine Test Facility, at a value of just over £9 milion, has been awarded to Henry Brothers. This building will house aircraft undergoing testing following the repair or replacement of an engine. The enclosed facility will be very specialised, featuring technology to keep the aircraft in place while the engine is running and an instant fire suppression system. It will also include soundproofing technology to reduce engine noise to a safe level and deaden sound waves which could otherwise damage the aircraft.

Read more

26 October 2015 British Embassy Tokyo

First-ever landing of RAF aircraft at JASDF base marks burgeoning UK-Japan defence relations.

Brigadier General Thierry Ducret, (French Army), of Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (HQ ARRC) and Wing Commander Leonard Lambert DFC stand to attention through the National Anthems. (NATO Photo / WO2 Dan Harmer GBR Army / Released)

29.10.2015 HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps


The President of France, François Hollande has decreed that all surviving British veterens who took part in the liberation of France should be awarded the Legion d'honneur.

Today Thursday 29th October 2015 former Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon pilots who flew sorties over Normandy in the battle for Normandy in 1944 received the Legion d'Honneur medal from Brigadier General Thierry Ducret, (French Army), of Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (HQ ARRC) at the Jet Age Museum, Gloucester.

The Typhoon was one of the principle ground-attack aircraft used by the allies and was instrumental in the battle.

See the full folder of photos here: https://www.flickr.com/…/54973278@…/albums/72157660077441079