Tornados take up Harrier challenge in Helmand
01 February 2010
One of the few female fast jet pilots in the RAF has been at the forefront of helping to protect ground troops on operations in Afghanistan.
Flt Lt Juliette 'Jules' Fleming, 31, has been providing vital reconnaissance in the battle against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and 'shows of force' in her Tornado GR4 that assist troops on Operation Herrick.
The 31-year-old pilot has recently returned with 31 Sqn after its three-month deployment. The Squadron from RAF Marham in Norfolk is the first Tornado Squadron to take over Close Air Support (CAS) duties previously conducted by Joint Force Harrier.
Flt Lt Fleming, from Bury St Edmunds, would regularly fly with her female Weapons Systems Operator (WSO) Sqn Ldr Nikki Thomas to acquire the reconnaissance imagery from either the RAPTOR pod or Litening III pod fitted to the belly of the aircraft.
The pair would also fly the 'shows-of-force' where the Tornado comes in at low level to warn agressors that more fire power is available to UK and coalition troops on the ground if they chose to call it in. In most cases the 'shows-of-force' were enough of a deterrant to make insurgents leave or break off their attack. Where they did not, Tornado pilots could be ordered to use one of the weapons on the aircraft - such as a Paveway IV or Brimstone missile.
On operations Tornado's are launched on either a planned sortie or as part of a General Alert Close Air Support (GCAS) - the modern day equivalent of a World War II scramble. During some reconnaissance sorties the aircraft could be forced to break off in order to help troops that have called in for assistance.
Flt Lt Fleming said: "We can look for suspicious activity such as disturbed earth that may show were IEDs are buried, or hotspots on the ground that could signify the presence of insurgents. Coalition troops on the ground can see the images that we are seeing at the same time.
"On sorties we may be given a stretch of road that may be known for IED activity and we fly over it continually to see what is going on. If we pick up something that was not there two days ago we will feed that back. It is ongoing process. We are really just such a small piece of the overall jigsaw."
It is the first time Flt Lt Fleming has been on operations in Afghanistan. Last year she completed her first tour on Operation Telic. She joined the RAF 11 years ago after her father, who in his spare time is a civilian flying instructor, gave her a flying lesson for her 17th birthday present. She had always wanted to join the military and had originally thought about the Army, but she was bitten by the flying bug after her lesson.
Flt Lt Fleming said: "In Afghanistan, every trip was rewarding because it was the culmination of all the years of hard work and training. Being called to a troops-in-contact sortie you know as soon as that call comes through there is someone being shot at on the ground, so the adrenaline gets going and you want to get there as soon as possible. In theatre situations can change with a click of a finger and that is what we have to be prepared for."
