I Tornado employed by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the raids in Syria and Iraq could be armed with Air-to-Air missiles to defend themselves from Russian fighters. Today the British press reported the statements that remained under the anonymity of a member of the British government engaged in the direction of joint overseas operations, which reported about the joint fight against the IS: "We must protect our pilots, but at the same time we are risking a step closer to war. If a plane was shot down even during an air battle it would change the whole scenario in the Middle East. "
I Tornado of the Royal Air Force involved in the Operation shader (British contrast to IL'SIS, ed), which little could in a possible dogfight with the latest generation fighters of the VVS (Air Force of the Russian Federation, ed), will they then mount AIM-132 ASRAAM infrared guided air-to-air missiles to respond to any attacks?
Just as the Kremlin deploys its interceptor fighters Sukhoi Su-30 as an escort for bombers engaged in Syria, this report on British missiles and the statement that the RAF pilots would be authorized to shoot down Russian aircraft if necessary raises serious doubts in Moscow.
Prime Minister David Cameron has denied these rumors as "completely unfounded". The same anonymous source reports that: British pilots have been "urged" to avoid any kind of Russian provocation.
A sky full of hunting like that of Syria in these weeks will remain an insidious scenario, despite good intentions, if the operations will not be combined or at least coordinated.
(photo: Royal Air Force)
