British F-35s shot down drones over Jordan, marking the first time that one of the Royal Air Force’s stealth fighter jets has destroyed a target in combat, the UK defense ministry said on Tuesday.
British forces have shot down multiple drones across the Middle East over the past 24 hours as Iran continues to retaliate against countries across the region in response to US and Israeli strikes.
The UK said that the interception of drones above Jordan marks “the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations.” The fighters were supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft.
The F-35B jets the UK operates are designed for air-to-air, air-to-surface, and electronic warfare missions. They have short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities that allow the fighter jet to operate from austere environments, amphibious assault ships, and aircraft carriers.
The UK received its F-35 jets, manufactured by the American defense giant Lockheed Martin, in 2012. The stealth fighters reached initial operational capability status in 2018.
The UK recently deployed additional defensive assets to its bases in Cyprus, including F-35 jets, radars, counter-drone systems, and ground-based air defenses, amid the soaring tensions in the Middle East.
Over the past day, British counter-drone forces have also intercepted hostile drones in Iraqi airspace, and an RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft used an air-to-air missile to down an Iranian drone heading for Qatar.
Since the fighting began, Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and one-way attack drones at many Middle Eastern countries, including the Gulf States and Israel, as well as bases for US forces across the region. A strike on an American military installation killed at least six service members and wounded several others.
British bases have also been hit in this conflict, in which the UK is not offensively involved. A UK defense ministry spokesperson said on Monday that a suspected drone had struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. There were no casualties, but the incident has triggered a response in London.
On Tuesday, the UK announced that it is deploying the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon and Wildcat helicopters to the Eastern Mediterranean region to strengthen Britain’s missile and drone defense.
“We are moving quickly to further reinforce our defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Defense Secretary John Healey said. “HMS Dragon brings world-class air defense capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat.”
The Middle East has been locked in air defense battles since the US and Israel started striking Iran on Saturday. Washington and its allies in the region have shot down hundreds of Iranian retaliatory missiles and drones over the past three days.
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