On This Day, 1940: On 22 July 1940, an RAF Blenheim used airborne interception radar to shoot down a Dornier Do 17…
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 →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…
Falklands Invaded as Britain Begins Its Air Response
On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, and the RAF began the urgent air planning and…
RAF Puma Farewell Flight Marks the End of 54 Years
On 26 March 2025, the RAF began the Puma HC Mk2 farewell tour from RAF Benson, marking the…
Operation Telic Begins with Major RAF Commitment in Iraq
On 21 March 2003, Operation Telic began with a major RAF commitment, combining precision strike, coalition sorties and…
Operation Northern and Southern Watch Come to an End
On 20 March 2003, Northern and Southern Watch ended, closing years of coalition air policing over Iraq just…