TORNADO crews from RAF Lossiemouth have flown to the rescue of endangered ground troops in Afghanistan.
The planes from the 617 ‘Dambusters’ squadron, already on another operation, were called urgently to fly 300 nautical miles to an area near the Turmenistan border to provide support to a joint US and Afghan National Security Forces patrol that was coming under fire.
Wing Commander Keith Taylor, the officer commanding the squadron, said crews took on a marathon journey of almost eight hours to get there. The planes had to refuel four times each, during the mission earlier this week.
On arrival, he said the fighter bombers conducted a ‘show of force’ to allow the coalition forces to leave the scene safely.
"The insurgents scattered to the cover of various buildings as the Tornado roared overhead at 100 feet and 500 knots allowing the patrol to withdraw," he added.
For more on this story, see tomorrow’s ‘Northern Scot’
