(video still)
A US carrier-based FA-18
Hornet refuels from an RAF VC-10 en route to targets
in Afghanistan, with two F-14
Tomcats awaiting fuel |
(video still)
An FA-18 Hornet seen at
the moment of disengagement
from the VC-10's drogue.
The RAF refuelling system is
compatible with the US Navy's |
(video still)
Another FA-18 Hornet seen
through the VC-10's CCTV
camera which allows refuelling
to be monitored day or night |
(video still)
A US Navy F-14 Tomcat
refuels, only a few feet behind and below the VC-10,
the
engine of which can be seen
in the upper left |
(video still)
Another F-14 Tomcat
simultaneously refuels from
the VC-10's other wing, while
another awaits its turn to
refuel |
(video still)
Two RAF Canberra PR9s and
a Nimrod seen at an airbase in
the region. The Canberras and
Nimrods provide sophisticated
reconnaissance capabilities |
(video still)
An RAF Canberra PR9 is readied for another sortie.
Although the Canberra first
flew in May 1949, the PR9
still offers a unique capability |
(video still)
The Canberra taxies out for its
sortie. The navigator sits in a
small compartment in the nose
forward and below the cockpit |
(video still)
An RAF VC-10 tanker taxies
out for a night sortie as the sun sets.
In their first fortnight
of operations, the RAF tankers
delivered 1800 tons of fuel to
415 US aircraft |
Defence Secretary Geoff
Hoon visited HMS Illustrious on 27 October
following the announcement that the aircraft carrier
was being assigned to support Operation Veritas
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
Illustrious' company,
assembled on the huge hangar deck to be briefed
by the Defence Secretary on the part they have to
play in the operation
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
Fleet Air Arm Sea King helicopters
aboard HMS Illustrious
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
Illustrious will
operate a force of helicopters whilst assigned to
support Operation Veritas
(Click here
for hi-res photo) |
Royal Navy and RAF helicopters
were extremely active during the process of reroling
Illustrious to a helicopter carrier
(Click here
for hi-res photo) |
An RAF VC-10 refuels a
pair of US Navy FA-18 Hornets from the USS Carl
Vinson
(US Navy photo)
|
A Royal Navy T class submarine
arrives at Diego Garcia amidst tight security to
embark Tomahawk missiles
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
in its launch canister
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
The weapon is embarked via
the torpedo loading hatch
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
The Weapon Stowage Compartment
is directly below the hatch
(Click
here for hi-res photo) |
|
An RAF Canberra PR9,
which flew 35 missions
over Afghanistan, on its return home to RAF Marham |
An RAF Hercules at Bagram
airfield on 26 November, ready
to fly the Northern Alliance
to Bonn
(Click
here for hi-res photo)
(Photo: Jamie Wiseman) |
|
The delegation departs
(Click
here for hi-res photo)
(Photo: Jamie Wiseman) |
Royal Marines from 40
Commando
return home on 21 January, their
mission complete
(Click
here for high-res photo) |
|
A warm welcome for a
Royal
Marine back home from Kabul
(Click
here for high-res photo) |
| |
HMS Illustrious,
seen at sea with other
ships of the Coalition task force
(Click
here for high-res photo) |
|
