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1. Origins & the Reaper Programme
• In September 2014, following a UK parliamentary vote, RAF Tornado jets launched the first British airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. Within weeks, MQ‑9 Reaper drones were deployed to the region for surveillance—and quickly for combat. Britain’s initial drone strike came on 10 October 2014, targeting ISIS operatives planting IEDs near the Baiji refinery.
• Between late 2014 and March 2015, 301 Reaper missions were flown, with 102 Hellfire missiles fired on 87 occasions. These drones primarily provided real-time reconnaissance, with only about 17 % of missions being weaponised.
2. Precision Strikes & Arsenal
• Strikes have targeted high-value threats like armoured vehicles, bunkers, cave systems, and rocket launchers, usually using Hellfire missiles, Paveway IV bombs, Brimstone missiles, and Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
• For example, in March 2021, Typhoons using Storm Shadows and Paveways struck ISIS cave networks in the Makhmur Mountains to support Iraqi ground offensives.
3. Carrier-Based & Collaborative Operations
• The Royal Navy, via the 2021 Carrier Strike Group 21, supported operations in Iraq and Syria. F-35B fighters launched from HMS Queen Elizabeth carried out strikes and surveillance over ISIS-held areas.
• Simultaneously, RAF crews manage Reaper drones remotely from bases in Lincolnshire and Creech, USA, using Middle East airfields for takeoff and landing. Civilian contractors were also deployed cost-effectively to aid launch and recovery.
4. Key Impact & Effect
• As of 2015, RAF Reaper strikes had eliminated an estimated 305 ISIS fighters in Iraq—without any confirmed civilian casualties.
• By September 2015, over 300 airstrikes had been flown, accounting for more than 330 ISIS casualties, and multiple munitions used: 311 Hellfires, 117 Brimstones, and 540 Paveway IV bombs.
• Shafaq News (2022) estimated RAF drones had struck or injured around 1,413 ISIS fighters across Iraq and Syria in nearly 4,857 sorties over eight years.
5. Innovation: StormShroud & Protector Drone
• In recent news, the RAF has unveiled the StormShroud drone, designed for radar jamming to protect strike aircraft like F-35s and Typhoons.
• Meanwhile, the Protector RG Mk1, the next-generation drone able to carry Hellfires and Paveway bombs, is due for service in 2024—overhauling the RAF’s drone combat capabilities.
6. Tactical & Strategic Insights
• Drones extend the RAF’s reach: MQ‑9s serve both ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and strike roles. They can loiter for hours over targets, sign off minimal collateral risk, and hit opportunistic targets in real-time.
• High-precision weapons: The use of Paveway IV and dual-mode munitions ensures accuracy, minimizing civilian harm while effectively destroying hardened or mobile targets.
• Layered integration: Reaper drones guide Typhoons, F-35s, and naval-air assets, enabling synchronised attacks on enemy infrastructure—from caves to rocket batteries—supporting ground forces.
7. Future Outlook
• With Protector drones and StormShroud, the RAF is evolving to a new era of pressure-decoupled, networked warfare: pilots can operate remotely, drones can neutralise enemy air defences, and support manned jets—or operate alone—under the UK’s ACP (Autonomous Collaborative Platforms) strategy.
Conclusion
From the first Reaper strike in 2014 to cutting-edge drone tactics today, the UK’s campaign in Iraq against ISIS has leveraged precision, surveillance, and layered firepower. RAF and Royal Navy assets have effectively hunted and eliminated threats—integrating drones, missiles, jets, and warships—while minimizing civilian harm, guiding ground advances, and shaping modern battlefield doctrine.
Attached is a News article regarding the uk military in Iran with drones TOP gun sc4
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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