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British forces use Reapers for ISIL air strikes

Published on: 14 Nov 2014

The Royal Air Force is continuing to use Reaper aircraft to help the Iraqi government tackle ISIL fighters.
 
Royal Air Force (RAF) Reapers have been involved in air strikes to assist the Iraqi government in dealing with the extremist jihadist group.
 
The unmanned air systems, previously tasked with surveillance missions, used hellfire missiles on three ISIL positions after the surrounding areas had been carefully checked.
 
Information provided by the Reapers' sophisticated technology also enabled other RAF aircraft to attack a command post, a bunker, two armed pick-up trucks and an observation post in the Kirkuk region.
 
Military personnel operating the Reapers, which are currently also deployed in Syria, were able to identify the targets and launch the attack remotely.
 
According to the Ministry of Defence, initial reports suggest that the missiles achieved their purpose.
 
On November 10th, a number of other RAF aircraft were involved in air strikes, with two Tornado GR4s utilising a Brimstone missile to eradicate a shipping container being used by extremists to stockpile equipment.