PHOTO: CPL BABBS ROBINSON/MoD
Tornado GR4 aircraft from RAF Marham and RAF Lossiemouth are currently playing a crucial role in Coalition operations in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973. The GR4 aircraft is flying sorties focusing on Libyan military command and control facilities and air defence infrastructure as well as armed reconnaissance sorties, to maintain pressure on the Gaddafi regime until the goals mandated by the UN and agreed by NATO and its partners are achieved.
On Wednesday night (10 Aug) last week, RAF Tornado aircraft launched from RAF Marham in East Anglia to conduct 8-hour round-trip missions over Libya. Armed with state-of-the-art Storm Shadow missiles, an MoD source said the six GR4 aircraft flew long distance sorties from theNorfolk base to target elements of Colonel Qadhafi’s military command and control facilities and air defence infrastructure.
Vigilance learnt that the jets, some from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland and some from Marham, were playing a crucial role in protecting Libyan civilians as authorised under United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973.
It is said the involvement of the Tornados, together with the Typhoon fighters forward located in Italy, means that the UK can strike both air and ground targets as required by NATO.
Our Defence Team gathered that the Tornado Squadrons have played a leading role in the military operations in Libya since operations began in March, carrying out precision strikes, making use of the GR4’s high-tech Litening 3 targeting pods and a variety of highly precise guided munitions.
Group Captain Pete ‘Rocky’ Rochelle, Station Commander RAF Marham, said: “This mission has, once again, proved the GR4’s capability at long range. The engineers and crews comprised of personnel from Marham and Lossiemouth. I feel great pride in having the opportunity to command such an adaptable and capable Tornado force that proves its agility time and time again.”