Originally Posted by
DuncanDoenitz
First you surely understand that there is a difference between publicity about a capability (in order to justify expense from the taxpayers funds and garner support for the national forces) and actual operational usage of the system?
Secondly, as other posters have said, there are a plethora of remote airfields within range. How many spotters have been submitting reports from Akrotiri or Chania? At night?
Thirdly, if you think anyone is claiming the presence of RAF (MoD? GCHQ?) British-owned/operated Reapers around the Ukraine Theatre then you need to re-read the thread. All anyone is saying is that they could be operating, and will only announce their presence to you (by ADS-b, press release or demonstration to spotters in daylight) if it suits a strategic objective.
Or possibly not. You decide.
What would the rules of engagement be if the Russians tried to force one of our Reapers down without actually shooting at it? The thread drift to UK Reapers began with this reference to "our" Reapers being shot down by the Russians, so I don't need to reread the thread as someone clearly
was claiming UK Reapers are operating around Ukraine.
As to the rest, I'll shut up at the slightest scintila of evidence that this is the case.