Typhoon - Have I Missed Something?!
 

Just catching up on the headlines on Teletext and p311 caught my eye (my bold):

PM to meet pilots in Gulf

Gordon Brown will meet British pilots who have been flying in dangerous missions in the Gulf as his tour of the region nears its end.

The PM is to visit a base in Abu Dhabi where cutting-edge Typhoon fighter planes have been deployed with the RAF.

Mr Brown has spent most of his four-day stint in the Gulf exhorting leaders to engage with moves to rescue and reform the global economy

I've been out of circulation for a few weeks so don't take this as a Typhoon knocking thread - is this poor journalism again or have we really deployed Typhoon? If we haven't and if this is a bit of RAF pro-Typhoon PR anyone else think we may have, once again, shot ourselves in the foot?

Teletext being rubbish, I think - getting their Typhoons and their Tornados muddled...

Maybe a storm in a tea cup? Stirring things up.:p

Not sure where thw PM has been but Typhoons were in the UAE on exercise, the Tornado GR4s are in the Gulf on Ops.

I believe it's true, I read somewhere, (Air Forces Monthly I think it was? Or one of those magazines. And heard from a couple of other sources) a few months ago that RAF Typhoon's are going to be deployed on training excercises in the UAE.

I go to Dubai on an, quite regular basis & I think I saw something in an local paper about it too, Gulfnews? I didn't really pay much attention to it though...

If I find an article, which I'm sure I have one laying around somewhere about it, I'll post what it says.

Toodle-pip.

More dirty tricks and propaganda by the nervous crabs who see a massive cut in their white elephant just around the corner........







Throw in hand grenade and retire to watch the fun.....

From the MoD website -

Gordon, 'somewhere in the Gulf'

Mod Photo

Teletext making a horlicks - unless the PM's been to two different 'somewheres' in the Gulf?

Even in issue DPM they can still manage to get different uniforms. Just where did that tech get epaulettes from?

Typhoons in UAE
 

Partaking in ATLC at Al Dhafra Airbase I would wager. You bet your ass they're dangerous missions. You should see who else takes part!
BV:E

That my friend is an SAC(T) or in old money a JT

Army type TRFs and Squadron Bars. Is the secret, be more Army than the Army?

On Thread; it's probable that the journos aren't too good on their strong wind recognition.

That my friend is an SAC(T) or in old money a JT

Not in a million years :ugh:

Typhoon? Is there an airshow on?

Guys, the question was not about the rank or the rank slide , but the cloth it is on.

The Techie is wearing one of the old DDPM shirts.

He probaly can't afford a new shirt.......

That’s the new camping badge (available after 4 months in the Deed.)
Also available,
Needle work, 50m swimming and BX shopping badges.
Soon to be available for Blues so that we will really look like a bunch of over aged scouts.
Can someone please explain why the RAF needs combat flashes? I can understand the RAF Regiment and trades that may go forward with them wearing them. But how many RAF trades come face to face with the enemy?
Also while we are on the subject why do we need ROYAL Air Force on our CS95? Is the fact that we wear RAF rank tabs enough?:confused::confused:

BLAGH BLAGH BLAGH :mad::\

P.S T.H for Dept Flt Cdr Ops vote now:D:p:D

By 'combat flash' I take it you're refering to the DZ patch? Most RAF trades can now come face to face with the enemy, not just the guys and girls in pointy things. Things have changed in the last few years, do try and keep up dear.:ok:

Trf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (1o Characters)

I always thought that a DZ flash was there to enable troops to quickly identify their unit and muster on the DZ post para drop.

Unless I'm mistaken only II Sqn and some elements of TSW still have a para capabilty within the RAF.

I really don't count sitting behind a desk in the J1 pod for 4 months as coming face to face with the enemy - unless you count irate JPA users!:ok:

Its not a DZ flash, they are larger squares, worn on the right arm below para wings usually. Its is a TRF (Tactical Recognition Flash). What the yellow and green checkerboard thing is in anyones guess. Is it in dress regs or has the sqn adjutant pulled that one from his posterior?

The odd thing is I was always taught (both in my days as a Rifleman and later as a crab) that uniform is supposed to be sanitised of boy scout badges when there is a chance of closing with the enemy. Obviously Abu Dhabi is more of a holiday camp than 'closing with the enemy' type place so perhaps the rush to cover every spare square inch of uniform with a badge is forgivable.

Oh I echo the earlier comment on the 'Royal Air Force' flashes too. Surely the cap badge gives that away and in situations where berets give way to an S6 one would assume some form of body armour would cover any pointless distinguishing badges worn upon ones chest?

Of course the RAF isn't the only service to have rushed headlong into their local haberdashery and brought up it entire stock of pretty material. The RN have been placing bigger and bigger badges on their kit for a while now and even the Army seem to have forgotten all about the hinderance that bright coloured material can be in a situation where blending in with your background can be beneficial. :ugh: