British Armed Forces

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Parachute Regiment and 16 Air Assault Brigade

 

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Desert Hawk 3 UAS

A soldier from the Royal Artillery prepares to launch the Desert Hawk 3 UAS (Unmanned Air System) over Salisbury Plain during a training exercise.

Desert Hawk is an extremely versatile and small Unmanned Aerial System designed for discrete operations. It is operated normally at the company level but is equally well employed above and below this. It has an extremely good record proven over the last year and is supporting 16 Air Assault Brigade in Afghanistan against the taliban. It provides an excellent 'over the hill' view for commanders on the ground.

 

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RAF Red Arrows and RAF F-35

RAF red arrow and RAF Vulcan Bombers

Red Arrows and Typhoon

 

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Red Arrows

Red Arrows and RAF Tornado fighters

with the now defunct Concorde

 

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RAF F-35B Lightning II

One of the United Kingdom F-35B Lightning II 5th generation aircraft is silhouetted at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, USA in the early morning sun, prior to the day's training sorties. Personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force were at Eglin AFB familiarising themselves with F-35 air and ground procedures. Several British defence companies like BAE systems and Rolls Royce are heavily involved in building the F-35.

The F-35B Lightning II will place the UK at the forefront of fighter technology, giving the Royal Air Force a true multi-role all weather, day and night capability, able to operate from well-established land bases, deployed locations or the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

 

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With 70,000 tons Queen Elizabeth class carriers a deadly mix





The Demon is a UAV designed by BAE Systems, as part of its "FLAVIIR" project. It has a novel aerodynamic control system which uses engine exhaust and bleed air to provide the aerodynamic forces usually provided by flaps, ailerons and elevators. It has been called the world's first "flapless" plane.

The BAE Systems HERTI is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the British company BAE Systems. HERTI stands for "High Endurance Rapid Technology Insertion" and was developed in Warton, United Kingdom. The HERTI airframe is based on a motor glider designed by Jaroslaw Janowski of J&AS Aero Design. Its first flight was in December 2004 at the Australian Woomera test range where much of the test flight programme has been undertaken. HERTI was also the first UAV to fly in the UK with the flight being certified by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.

 

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The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is a British intelligence and security agency responsible for providing signals intelligence (SIGINT) and information assurance to the British government and armed forces. Based in "The Doughnut", in the suburbs of Cheltenham, it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) alongside the Security Service (MI5), the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and Defence Intelligence (DI). GCHQ is the responsibility of the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, but it is not a part of the Foreign Office and its Director ranks as a Permanent Secretary.

Watchkeeper is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for all weather, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). Watchkeeper provides enhanced UAV capability that will enable commanders to detect and track targets for long periods, without the need to deploy troops into potentially sensitive or dangerous areas. The system is capable of rapid deployment and operations anywhere in the world and will support the information requirements of all three services.

 

[T-55]

Challenger tanks from the squadron "B" 17/21 Lancers Regiment of the British Army during participation in "Operation Desert Storm" against Iraq; January-February 1991.

 

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Officer Cadets march past the front of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) Old College, followed by instructors and the College Adjutant on horseback. The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey is where all officers in the British Army are trained to take on the responsibilities of leading the soldiers under their command.

A Challenger 2 tank on Castlemartin Ranges in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The newly amalgamated Royal Tank Regiment exercised Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks on Castlemartin Ranges for the first time since its reformation.

Chinook helicopters from18 (B) Squadron practising desert operations during Exercise Vortex Warrior.18 (B) Sqn are based at Royal Air Force Odiham, Hampshire. The exercise is being conducted at US Naval Air Facility, El Centro, in Southern California. The purpose of the intense training programme is to exploit similarities in climate and desert conditions between California and Afghanistan in order to prepare the Squadron pilots, aircrew, ground crew, and support personnel for imminent deployed operations.

A Royal Air Force Hercules C-130J transport tanker aircraft sits on the tarmac at Mount Pleasant Airfield in the Falkland Islands. The full passenger and cargo capability can be used while Voyager is configured for AAR operations. The cabin remains fully configured and the cargo compartments are unobstructed. On a typical deployment across the Atlantic, a single aircraft is able to refuel 4 Tornados and still carry 11,000lb (5000kg) of freight/passengers.

A Royal Air Force Voyager transport tanker aircraft sits on the tarmac at Mount Pleasant Airfield in the Falkland Islands. The full passenger and cargo capability can be used while Voyager is configured for AAR operations. The cabin remains fully configured and the cargo compartments are unobstructed. On a typical deployment across the Atlantic, a single aircraft is able to refuel 4 Tornados and still carry 11,000lb (5000kg) of freight/passengers.

A Royal Air Force Voyager passenger transport aircraft pictured at RAF Brize Norton on its return the UK with troops from Afghanistan.

 

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Type 45 Advanced Air Defence Destroyers ($1.8bn per unit)

Type 45 Air Defender and BAE Systems built Khareef-class corvette of the Royal Navy of Oman.

Four Type 45 class Destroyers together in Portsmouth before they begin 6 months deployment in the Middle East.

The now defunct Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft shadowing HMS Daring.

HMS Dauntless on duty in the Med sea.

HMS Diamond escorting the Nimitz class aircraft carrier as part of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) in the Persian Sea

 

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HMS Illustrious Hands Over to HMS Ocean 2014

In a symbolic gesture the UK's outgoing helicopter carrier has handed over duties to her successor. In the waters off the south coast HMS Illustrious and HMS Ocean met this morning (Tuesday, 22 July 2014) and the baton of protecting the nation's interests handed between the two. The two ships steamed side by side, in the company of the frigate HMS Lancaster, to conduct the ceremonial handing over of their duties. HMS Illustrious then peeled away with HMS Lancaster escorting her on her final entry into Portsmouth. HMS Ocean will now go forward as the Royal Navy's helicopter landing platform and HMS Illustrious retired after 32 years of service.

 

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Together with the UK Ministry of Defence (UK MOD) BAE revealed that Taranis, the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle demonstrator, has successfully completed a second phase of flight testing in 2014. Taranis - the most advanced aircraft ever built by British engineers - flew in a fully a stealthy configuration, making it virtually invisible to radar during this latest set of trials. Taranis is a stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle, designed to fly intercontinental missions, and will carry variety of precision missiles/bombs, enabling it to attack both aerial and ground targets. It is also capable of detecting, identifying and selecting the targets automatically by it's self. It will utilise stealth technology, giving it a low radar profile, and it will be controllable via satellite link from anywhere on Earth. Great Britain is now cooperating with France for the building of an advanced stealth Bomber UCAV similar to U.S X-47B

 

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Exercise Red Flag

Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft from the UKs Royal Air Force are at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to take part in one of the world's leading air-to-air combat training exercises which begins this week. Red Flag is the United States Air Force's premier air-to-air combat training event. Participants typically include both US and allied nations combat air forces. The exercise gives pilots the experience of multiple, intensive air sorties in the safety of a training environment.

 

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BAE Systems Watchkeeper UAV in Afghanistan November 2014

BAE Systems Mantis UCAV armed with Paveway IV laser-guided bombs

RAF MQ9 Reaper UCAV armed with Hellfire and Brimstone "Fire and Forget" air-to-surface missiles.

 

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Royal Air Force Typhoons Intercept Russian Aircraft

RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept multiple Russian aircraft as part of NATO's ongoing mission to police Baltic airspace.

The Typhoon aircraft, from 3 (Fighter) Squadron, were launched after four separate groups of aircraft were detected by NATO air defences in international airspace near to the Baltic States.

Once airborne, the British jets identified the aircraft as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 a Blackfire bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 a Flanker a fighters, one Beriev A50 a Mainstay a early warning aircraft and an Antonov An26 transport aircraft who appeared to be carrying out a variety of routine training. The Russian aircraft were monitored by the RAF Typhoons and escorted on their way. Britain has already deployed over 600 troops and fighter jets to baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to help them patrol their airspace and deter any Russian aggression.

RAF Typhoon follows the Russian Stereguschiy-class corvette after detecting unidentified signal from it's helicopter in the Baltic Sea.

RAF Typhoon air superiority fighter jets shadow the Russian bomber flies near the NATO air space.