British military to deploy Tornado GR4 fighter in Iraq and may soon send soldiers in the country 130

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Defence & Security News - United Kingdom

 
 
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 07:53 AM
 
British military to deploy Tornado GR4 fighter in Iraq and may soon send soldiers in the country.
The British Royal Air Force will deploy Tornado GR4 fighter jets in support of the growing military air campaign over northern Iraq, British officials said Tuesday, August 12, 2014. Britain may soon send in its troops into Iraq to rescue refugees and to arm Kurdish fighters to combat the Islamic State militants, who have already been seeing military airstrikes from the United States.
     
The British Royal Air Force will deploy Tornado GR4 fighter jets in support of the growing military air campaign over northern Iraq, British officials said Tuesday, August 12, 2014. Britain may soon send in its troops into Iraq to rescue refugees and to arm Kurdish fighters to combat the Islamic State militants, who have already been seeing military airstrikes from the United States.
A Tornado GR4 equipped with the Litening III pod taking off from RAF Marham on 12 August 2014 for its reconnaissance mission over Iraq. (Picture British MOD)
     
A small number of aircraft, fitted with state-of-the-art Litening III reconnaissance pods, left Norfolk Tuesday, August 12, 2014.. They will be positioned in Cyprus, available to fly over the crisis area at short notice to provide vital intelligence to assist the delivery of the UK aid.

The British foreign secretary, in an emergency response committee meeting, authorized the deployment of "a small number" of Tornado fighters that will enter Iraqi airspace for the first time in a decade for "surveillance capability" and "not in a combat role".

Britain has also reportedly commissioned Chinook helicopters to the region on Tuesday to be prepared for "further humanitarian relief options".

Last week, United States President Barack Obama had authorized military airstrikes against the Islamic militants in Iraq. US warplanes have already struck several militant artillery and mortar positions over the last few days, with the latest strike on a mortar position on Tuesday.