Islamic State crisis: UK to extend Tornado strikes in Iraq

The RAF Tornado mission against Islamic State militants in Iraq is to be extended by an extra year, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.

The jets - due to be disbanded last March - are to be kept in service until "at least" March 2017 to continue air strikes, he said on a visit to Iraq.

Mr Fallon said the air campaign against the IS group was making progress.

UK jets had pushed militants out of key towns and would maintain "essential precision firepower," he said.
Tornados began carrying out missions in Iraq last September as part of US-led air strikes against IS, an extremist group which has seized control of parts of Iraq and Syria.

The squadron of Tornado GR4 fighter bombers - Number 12 Squadron - was due to be disbanded last year and replaced with a squadron of Typhoon air defence fighters.

But, following initial air strikes, Prime Minister David Cameron announced the Tornados would continue in their specialist ground-attack role until March 2016.

Mr Fallon said this second reprieve for the eight bombers - which are based in Cyprus - would ensure the RAF retained "the essential precision firepower, intelligence and surveillance" capabilities needed for operations against IS, also known as Isil.

He denied the extension had come about because there were no other RAF aircraft capable of flying the missions.

Tornados had "proved their worth" in Iraq, he told the BBC, adding they had completed about 30% of the coalition's surveillance missions, as well as carrying out air strikes.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33762564