Not a War

But a "conflict", according to the official accounts.  I wasn't there, having only recently returned from flying the F16 and converted back to the Tornado, but I had command of one of the squadrons remaining in the UK, for a few months anyway, as our OC had gone out to the Gulf.  He and his navigator were posted missing on their first mission, thirty years ago today.  I had to tell their ladies.

The map shows the plan for four Tornados to fly in parallel track at low level in the dark.  You can see the speeds, 450kt ingress, 480kt attack run and 540kt egress – an experience that none will have had, before or since.  It wasn't surprising that we lost aircraft and crews.

I felt at the time that military action in 1991 was necessary and justified, but the 2003 adventure in Iraq was a crass error, poorly planned and very badly executed in political terms.