Posted on 10/01/2014 9:29:21 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
America was keen for Britain to join air strikes against Isil because of its unique Brimstone missile, according to Whitehall sources
Tornado GR4s have fired at least five of the missiles to destroy heavily armed Isil pickup trucks Photo: MBDA Missile Systems
When the United States asked the RAF to join air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), Pentagon commanders had one particular weapon they wanted the British to bring.
American defence chiefs had already seen the formidable Brimstone missile at work in Libya during the 2011 campaign against Col Muammar Gaddafi’s regime and wanted to use it against Isil, according to Whitehall sources.
The unique British-made missile is now more sophisticated of its kind being used in the air campaign to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling the militants.
Tornado GR4s have fired at least five of the missiles to destroy heavily armed Isil pickup trucks including hitting targets on Tuesday night.
The Ministry of Defence in London said: "Following yesterday's strikes on the Isil terrorist organisation, Royal Air Force aircraft have seen further action overnight.
"Two Tornado GR4s from RAF Akrotiri, conducted an armed reconnaissance mission in support of Iraqi government forces west of Baghdad.
"They were tasked to examine a location suspected of being used as an Isil command and control position. At the scene they were able to identify Isil activity and two vehicles, one of which was an armed pick up truck.
"Four Brimstone missiles were used to conduct a precision attack on the vehicles. Initial analysis indicates that the strikes were successful."
Defence sources said the missile’s precise dual-mode guidance system is more sophisticated than that used in the American Hellfire missile and makes it the perfect weapon for destr
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Doesn't that cannon on the A-10 work just as well against such targets?
With VAT, that’s probably about $275K to destroy a $23K pickup truck.
Yes. . .as well as the AGM-65 and its various versions.
It looks like a Hellfire missile. Maybe we should upgrade ours!
I really doubt that we are jealous. Just some media meathead baiting its readers.
Glad we're not like that.
Great name.
Bringing Hellfire and Brimstone to ISIS. Sounds like a good plan!
Made by Boeing. Think I’ve heard of them before.
I'm sorry, but why is that a good thing? If you are bombing an ISIS vehicle or building, I presume you want to kill everyone close to it. Isn't that what fighting wars is about?
This is a great illustration of the stupidity of western war-making. “We coulda won but we ran out of money.”
Tornado GR4s have fired at least five of the missiles to destroy heavily armed Isil pickup trucks
Why don't we just drop big rocks on them?.................
I thought they were upgrading the Hellfire to be the equivilent of this missile. Anyone know whether that was just a proposal or something that’s actually being done ?
Yep great names. Especially for that part of the world.
Perhaps it should take a DNA test before it explodes. Wouldn’t want to hurt anybody other than our own soldiers.
Pray America wakes
Shhh..... the boys from the RAF are having a spot of fun training on live targets instead of bulls eyes painted on the ground, MBDA gets to claim their missile is battle tested which is good for business and a few terrorists get to meet their virgins. A win -win for all involved.
It would be impolite in the extreme to observe that a $250,000 missle is being fired from a 50 million dollar jet to destroy a $20,000 toyota pickup and at 20K per pop Qatar can afford to replace a lot more Toyotas than the Brits can replace Brimstones. The supply of Jihadi cannon fodder (or brimstone fodder in this case) is in cheap and limitless supply.
It would be even more impolite to observe that a tragically few in number but strategically deployed strafing runs by a hand full of A-10s could have killed the Islamic State dead in it's tracks and prevented this geopolitical and humanitarian disaster before it even got started if Obama had acted swiftly and decisively at the outset of the ISISL invasion when they were most over extended and vulnerable.
Might be cheaper just to buy their's.
Pretty cool that the pilot can adjust the blast pattern of the Brimstone according to target. Awesome.
At a greater risk to aircraft and pilot. You can fire a Brimstone and hit your target from up to 20 km away, far out of range of AA and manpad missiles. A-10 cannon is line of sight. While you're shooting at it, it can be shooting back at you.
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