On This Day, 1999: On 5 June 1999 RAF Tornados flew their first combat missions from Solenzara in Corsica during Operation Allied…
Read the entry →Modern RAF Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
Falklands Exclusion Zone Set as Air Campaign Nears
Modern RAF
Falklands exclusion zone: Britain’s 1982 warning to Buenos Aires over a Falklands no-fly area marked a key shift from crisis to active campaign enforcement.
Read the article →RAF Tornados Launch Solenzara Sorties in Kosovo War
On 5 June 1999 RAF Tornados flew their first combat missions from Solenzara in Corsica during Operation Allied…
Bosnia Airlift Milestone for No. 47 Squadron Hercules
On 3 June 1993, No. 47 Squadron Hercules crews reached 600 Bosnia airlift sorties and 19 million pounds…
No. 29 Squadron Phantoms Take Ascension Island QRA in 1982
On 24 May 1982, No. 29 Squadron’s Phantom fighters took over Quick Reaction Alert on Ascension Island during…
C-17 Globemaster III Enters RAF Service with No. 99 Squadron
On 23 May 2001, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III entered RAF service with No. 99 Squadron, transforming Britain’s…
Atlantic Conveyor Reinforces British Air Power in Falklands
On this day in 1982, Harrier GR3s and Sea Harriers arrived aboard Atlantic Conveyor, reinforcing British air power…
Lynx Sea Skua Strikes Hit Argentine Ships in the Falklands
Sea Skua attacks in the South Atlantic on 2 May 1982 sank Comodoro Somellera and damaged Alferez Sobral…
Black Buck 1: Vulcan Strike Opens Falklands Air Campaign
Black Buck 1: Vulcan XM607’s record-range 1982 strike on Port Stanley opened the RAF offensive phase of the…
RAF UAV Operations and the Rise of StormShroud Systems
How RAF uncrewed air systems evolved from early experiments to operational use, with StormShroud marking a new collaborative…
Panavia Tornado GR1 in RAF Gulf War Operations, 1991
How the Panavia Tornado GR1 flew RAF strike missions in Operation Granby, from risky low-level attacks to medium-altitude…
RAF Red Arrows: History, Roles and Future Aircraft
How the Red Arrows evolved from post-war RAF display teams into the service’s official aerobatic formation, from Gnat…
Operation Haven: RAF Chinooks Lift Aid to Kurdish Refugees
Operation Haven: How RAF Chinooks began lifting aid to Kurdish refugees in Turkey in 1991, showing the reach…
RAF Tornado Sorties from Bruggen in Operation Allied Force
On 4 April 1999, RAF Tornado GR1 crews flew Allied Force missions from Bruggen, striking bridges and tunnels…