3-hour Close Air Support [CAS] mission over Afghanistan, in a Harrier GR.7
Here's a few shots of the main bits of 'action' - hope you enjoy:
Circling over the designated CAS holding zone, waiting for a call from ground
troops in need of assistance - in company with a USAF F.16 on the same mission
type:
Having been given my target by the troops in need of assistance, I'm straight down
to low level on an intercept course:
'Scare 'em off' - The idea that RAF Harrier crews employ is to first fly low and fast
over the hostile detachment making lots of noise, this is in order to scare them
away without the need to employ weapons or kill people - wherever possible.
In my case this tactic worked:
Having been in action over the target area for 3 hours I 'hook up' with a trusty
RAF VC-10 for some much needed refuelling:
Tanks fully replenished, its time to break formation with enough fuel to enable me
to transit back to Kandahar air base safely - job well done:
Sorry about the quality - the compression has murdered most of these...
Thanks for lookin'
