RAF gunners earn title of drone ‘aces’ for first time in historical past | EUROtoday

For the primary time in historical past, RAF Regiment gunners have achieved the distinguished standing of drone “aces” after efficiently intercepting and destroying a number of unmanned plane.

Four crack gunners from the regiment earned this uncommon title whereas fulfilling their crucial function of defending British bases located throughout the Middle East. The definition of “ace” harks again to the Second World War, when pilots had been bestowed the honour for capturing down 5 enemy planes.

Armed forces minister Al Carns lauded their distinctive efforts, praising them for capturing down Tehran’s drones “night after night, under threat”. RAF Regiment gunners are specialist ground-based troopers, particularly tasked with safeguarding British airbases from potential threats. Their current operations have seen them defending UK installations all through the Middle East from Iran’s Shahed drones, a significant mission undertaken because the onset of the American-Israeli warfare with Iran.

The new age “aces” from the regiment have quite a lot of instruments of their arsenal to focus on the drones, together with early warning sensors, digital warfare, and a short-range missile launching weapon referred to as the Rapid Sentry air defence system.

Mr Carns mentioned: “Our teams across the Middle East are operating in some of the most demanding conditions imaginable, and they are delivering with professionalism, courage and real combat skill.

“I am hugely proud of our RAF Regiment.

“Night after night, under threat, they are protecting British lives and British interests, and doing so in the finest traditions of the RAF Regiment.

“Several of these heroes have achieved ‘ace’ status neutralising Iranian drones.

“The first of its kind, it isn’t just impressive, it is exceptional.

“We don’t say it enough in the UK, but thank you for your service.”

Air Commodore Paul Hamilton, Commander, Global Enablement, mentioned: “Our deployed gunners are showing outstanding courage to defend deployed UK personnel, allies and partners every day.

“They are genuinely putting their own lives at risk in the defence of others; as their Commandant General, I am extremely proud of the professionalism and self-sacrifice being displayed by these amazing people.”

The Rapid Sentry system getting used to shoot down Iranian drones approaching British bases can be set to be deployed to Kuwait, Defence Secretary John Healey introduced this week.

The system is armed with light-weight multirole missiles (LMMs), and the UK has mentioned it plans to purchase extra of those to provide British forces and allies.