The RAF (the world's oldest and best airforce) has become the first airforce to use the new Eurofighter Typhoon in combat - and the world's most advanced fighter plane has been praised by RAF pilots.
The RAF has ordered 160 of the planes and so far has received 71 of them. In addition, Germany has orderd 143 Typhoons; Italy 96; Spain 73; Saudi Arabia 72; and Austria 15.
10 RAF Typhoons are currently taking part in the Libya operation, along with several RAF Tornado bombers.
Yesterday Wing Commander Jeremy ‘Jez’ Attridge described the moment he took part in the Typhoon’s first combat mission over Libya on Monday night.
Describing the Eurofighter as "phenomenal" he said: "There was a lot of excitement when we were told we were being deployed. Everybody likes to do the job they get paid for. But when you actually take off you are focused so much on your mission that you have no time for emotions. There is no looking out of the window to see the Libyan coast."
It's also emerged that the RAF's only female pilot is taking part in the operation against Daffy.
An RAF source said: "No one makes a big deal out of having a female pilot. She is a first-rate pilot and like everyone involved in this operation, she is here purely because of her abilities."
Our ace in the pack: Lone British female Typhoon pilot takes to skies to keep up the pressure on Colonel Gaddafi
By Tom Kelly In Gioia Del Colle
23rd March 2011
Daily Mail
With a relaxed air that conceals her steely resolve, this is the lone female RAF pilot flying combat missions over Libya.
The woman, who has not been named, is one of ten Typhoon pilots deployed to enforce the no-fly zone by North Africa and blast Colonel Gaddafi's aircraft from the skies.
Stationed at the British advanced post in southern Italy, she takes control of the world’s most advanced fighter jet - which travels at 1,550mph and can climb to 40,000ft within two minutes.
She is believed to be the first woman to pilot a Typhoon, which are each worth £125million.
Ready for action: Britain's only female pilot taking part in administering the no-fly zone over Libya puts on her helmet before climbing into the RAF Eurofighter Typhoon at the Italian airbase in Gioia del Colle near Bari
Flying ace: The unnamed pilot is one of just ten flying the Typhoons from southern Italy - and RAF sources insist she has been chosen on ability alone
An RAF source said: ‘No one makes a big deal out of having a female pilot.
‘She is a first-rate pilot and like everyone involved in this operation, she is here purely because of her abilities.
‘There are no egos and from the support staff to the pilots, everyone gets on with it and pulls together to get the job done.’
Yesterday Wing Commander Jeremy ‘Jez’ Attridge, described the moment he took part in the Typhoon’s first combat mission over Libya on Monday night.
Departing from the Italian Gioia del Colle airbase he flew at twice the speed of sound to arrive at the Libyan coast in just ten minutes.
He described the Typhoon as ‘phenomenal’ during the five-hour mission, which involved three air-to-air refuels.
He said: ‘There was a lot of excitement when we were told we were being deployed.
‘Everybody likes to do the job they get paid for.
‘But when you actually take off you are focused so much on your mission that you have no time for emotions.
‘There is no looking out of the window to see the Libyan coast.
‘You are concentrating completely on making sure that everything that needs to be done is done.
‘It’s a bit like doing an exam when you are at school. You don’t really think about it until it is all over.
Patrolling the skies: The £125m Eurofighter Typhoons are getting their first taste of combat with five-hour missions over the Med that require three air-to-air refuellings
Taxi-ing to the runway: The female pilot makes her way before take-off from Italy
Intimidating sight: The typhoons line up for action. The RAF is delighted the jets have become operational in such a short space of time
Proud: Wing Commander Jez Attridge said there was a lot of excitement at the air force base at 'doing the job we're paid for'
‘But it was an honour to take part in the Typhoon's first ever mission. It was good to make history.’
The 41-year-old, from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, said: 'It worked brilliantly.
‘I'm very proud that we've shown the Typhoons can meet modern-day missions easily.
‘The heartening thing for me was the amount of support put in to make sure the aeroplanes could be deployed at very short notice.
‘We worked for 24 hours to get the planes ready and get them over here from the UK.
'There was a lot of satisfaction in seeing that we could move everything from one part of the world to another and be operational within a very short space of time.
'It was short notice but if you stay ready then you do not have to get ready.'
The Typhoons yesterday continued to fly sorties over Libya from Gioia del Colle airbase near Bari.
Four RAF Tornados flew an armed reconnaissance sortie to look out for signs of Col Gaddafi's ground troops threatening Libyan civilians, before joining the Typhoons at the base.
Both Tornados and Typhoons were supported by Awacs surveillance aircraft and VC10 refuelling planes, which are based in Cyprus.
The office: Controls in the cockpit of a Eurofighter Typhoon
Group Captain Martin Sampson, who is in command of the RAF jets at Gioia del Colle, said: ‘Everything is working like clockwork.
'Ten Typhoons and four Tornadoes are a formidable force mix that we are very happy with. I am confident they can face whatever they are faced with.
'We have worked with the Italians before and we are very happy for the help and support we get from them. The Typhoon is a world class fighter and the Tornado a world class bomber but I don't want to go into details of whether weapons were expended.'
Safe home: RAF Typhoon aircraft are serviced during the night at the Italian base after a mission over Libya
The Typhoon is the newest aircraft in the RAF's fast jet fleet.
It is mainly deployed as a fighter and could use its air-to-air missile systems to bring down any Libyan aircraft defying the no-fly zone.
Britain has 71 Eurofighter Typhoons with more on order.
RAF Flight Lieutenant Juliette Fleming told last year how she flew missions over Afghanistan.
The 31-year-old revealed how she terrified Taliban fighters by screeching low over their heads in her Tornado fighter jet - a new RAF tactic to avoid killing civilians with stray bombs.
A Qatari Mirage jet fighter takes off after refuelling at Larnaca's old airport in southern Cyprus. Cyprus said it had refused permission to four military jets to land at Larnaca airport and only changed tack when they reported they were running out of fuel
dailymail.co.uk
The RAF has ordered 160 of the planes and so far has received 71 of them. In addition, Germany has orderd 143 Typhoons; Italy 96; Spain 73; Saudi Arabia 72; and Austria 15.
10 RAF Typhoons are currently taking part in the Libya operation, along with several RAF Tornado bombers.
Yesterday Wing Commander Jeremy ‘Jez’ Attridge described the moment he took part in the Typhoon’s first combat mission over Libya on Monday night.
Describing the Eurofighter as "phenomenal" he said: "There was a lot of excitement when we were told we were being deployed. Everybody likes to do the job they get paid for. But when you actually take off you are focused so much on your mission that you have no time for emotions. There is no looking out of the window to see the Libyan coast."
It's also emerged that the RAF's only female pilot is taking part in the operation against Daffy.
An RAF source said: "No one makes a big deal out of having a female pilot. She is a first-rate pilot and like everyone involved in this operation, she is here purely because of her abilities."
Our ace in the pack: Lone British female Typhoon pilot takes to skies to keep up the pressure on Colonel Gaddafi
By Tom Kelly In Gioia Del Colle
23rd March 2011
Daily Mail
With a relaxed air that conceals her steely resolve, this is the lone female RAF pilot flying combat missions over Libya.
The woman, who has not been named, is one of ten Typhoon pilots deployed to enforce the no-fly zone by North Africa and blast Colonel Gaddafi's aircraft from the skies.
Stationed at the British advanced post in southern Italy, she takes control of the world’s most advanced fighter jet - which travels at 1,550mph and can climb to 40,000ft within two minutes.
She is believed to be the first woman to pilot a Typhoon, which are each worth £125million.
Ready for action: Britain's only female pilot taking part in administering the no-fly zone over Libya puts on her helmet before climbing into the RAF Eurofighter Typhoon at the Italian airbase in Gioia del Colle near Bari
Flying ace: The unnamed pilot is one of just ten flying the Typhoons from southern Italy - and RAF sources insist she has been chosen on ability alone
An RAF source said: ‘No one makes a big deal out of having a female pilot.
‘She is a first-rate pilot and like everyone involved in this operation, she is here purely because of her abilities.
‘There are no egos and from the support staff to the pilots, everyone gets on with it and pulls together to get the job done.’
Yesterday Wing Commander Jeremy ‘Jez’ Attridge, described the moment he took part in the Typhoon’s first combat mission over Libya on Monday night.
Departing from the Italian Gioia del Colle airbase he flew at twice the speed of sound to arrive at the Libyan coast in just ten minutes.
He described the Typhoon as ‘phenomenal’ during the five-hour mission, which involved three air-to-air refuels.
He said: ‘There was a lot of excitement when we were told we were being deployed.
‘Everybody likes to do the job they get paid for.
‘But when you actually take off you are focused so much on your mission that you have no time for emotions.
‘There is no looking out of the window to see the Libyan coast.
‘You are concentrating completely on making sure that everything that needs to be done is done.
‘It’s a bit like doing an exam when you are at school. You don’t really think about it until it is all over.
Patrolling the skies: The £125m Eurofighter Typhoons are getting their first taste of combat with five-hour missions over the Med that require three air-to-air refuellings
Taxi-ing to the runway: The female pilot makes her way before take-off from Italy
Intimidating sight: The typhoons line up for action. The RAF is delighted the jets have become operational in such a short space of time
Proud: Wing Commander Jez Attridge said there was a lot of excitement at the air force base at 'doing the job we're paid for'
‘But it was an honour to take part in the Typhoon's first ever mission. It was good to make history.’
The 41-year-old, from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, said: 'It worked brilliantly.
‘I'm very proud that we've shown the Typhoons can meet modern-day missions easily.
‘The heartening thing for me was the amount of support put in to make sure the aeroplanes could be deployed at very short notice.
‘We worked for 24 hours to get the planes ready and get them over here from the UK.
'There was a lot of satisfaction in seeing that we could move everything from one part of the world to another and be operational within a very short space of time.
'It was short notice but if you stay ready then you do not have to get ready.'
The Typhoons yesterday continued to fly sorties over Libya from Gioia del Colle airbase near Bari.
Four RAF Tornados flew an armed reconnaissance sortie to look out for signs of Col Gaddafi's ground troops threatening Libyan civilians, before joining the Typhoons at the base.
Both Tornados and Typhoons were supported by Awacs surveillance aircraft and VC10 refuelling planes, which are based in Cyprus.
The office: Controls in the cockpit of a Eurofighter Typhoon
Group Captain Martin Sampson, who is in command of the RAF jets at Gioia del Colle, said: ‘Everything is working like clockwork.
'Ten Typhoons and four Tornadoes are a formidable force mix that we are very happy with. I am confident they can face whatever they are faced with.
'We have worked with the Italians before and we are very happy for the help and support we get from them. The Typhoon is a world class fighter and the Tornado a world class bomber but I don't want to go into details of whether weapons were expended.'
Safe home: RAF Typhoon aircraft are serviced during the night at the Italian base after a mission over Libya
The Typhoon is the newest aircraft in the RAF's fast jet fleet.
It is mainly deployed as a fighter and could use its air-to-air missile systems to bring down any Libyan aircraft defying the no-fly zone.
Britain has 71 Eurofighter Typhoons with more on order.
RAF Flight Lieutenant Juliette Fleming told last year how she flew missions over Afghanistan.
The 31-year-old revealed how she terrified Taliban fighters by screeching low over their heads in her Tornado fighter jet - a new RAF tactic to avoid killing civilians with stray bombs.
A Qatari Mirage jet fighter takes off after refuelling at Larnaca's old airport in southern Cyprus. Cyprus said it had refused permission to four military jets to land at Larnaca airport and only changed tack when they reported they were running out of fuel
dailymail.co.uk
Last edited:
