RAF gunners earn title of drone ‘aces’ for first time in history

For nan first clip successful history, RAF Regiment gunners person achieved nan distinguished position of drone "aces" aft successfully intercepting and destroying aggregate unmanned aircraft.

Four ace gunners from nan regiment earned this uncommon title while fulfilling their captious domiciled of protecting British bases situated crossed nan Middle East. The meaning of "ace" harks backmost to nan Second World War, erstwhile pilots were bestowed nan honour for shooting down 5 force planes.

Armed forces curate Al Carns lauded their exceptional efforts, praising them for shooting down Tehran’s drones "night aft night, nether threat". RAF Regiment gunners are master ground-based soldiers, specifically tasked pinch safeguarding British airbases from imaginable threats. Their caller operations person seen them defending UK installations passim nan Middle East from Iran’s Shahed drones, a captious ngo undertaken since nan onset of nan American-Israeli warfare pinch Iran.

The caller property “aces” from nan regiment person a assortment of devices successful their arsenal to target nan drones, including early informing sensors, physics warfare, and a short-range rocket launching limb called nan Rapid Sentry aerial defence system.

Mr Carns said: “Our teams crossed nan Middle East are operating successful immoderate of nan astir demanding conditions imaginable, and they are delivering pinch professionalism, courageousness and existent combat skill.

“I americium hugely proud of our RAF Regiment.

“Night aft night, nether threat, they are protecting British lives and British interests, and doing truthful successful nan finest traditions of nan RAF Regiment.

“Several of these heroes person achieved ‘ace’ position neutralising Iranian drones.

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

“We don’t opportunity it capable successful nan UK, but convey you for your service.”

Air Commodore Paul Hamilton, Commander, Global Enablement, said: “Our deployed gunners are showing outstanding courageousness to take sides deployed UK personnel, friends and partners each day.

“They are genuinely putting their ain lives astatine consequence successful nan defence of others; arsenic their Commandant General, I americium highly proud of nan professionalism and self-sacrifice being displayed by these astonishing people.”

The Rapid Sentry strategy being utilized to sprout down Iranian drones approaching British bases is besides group to beryllium deployed to Kuwait, Defence Secretary John Healey announced this week.

The strategy is equipped pinch lightweight multirole missiles (LMMs), and nan UK has said it plans to bargain much of these to proviso British forces and allies.