The truth behind the RAF mission to smash ISIS

An investigation by MailOnline has unveiled the grand scale of the military effort against the terrorist group, including more than 100 airstrikes and 195 missiles fired.

The bombings, carried out by Britain’s fleet of warplanes and unmanned drones, have targeted more than 180 ISIS positions and have killed dozens of Islamists so far in the six-month campaign.

The raids, under the code name Operation Shader, have covered swathes of Iraq, with the RAF picking off terrorist targets deep inside ISIS territory.

Britain has used Tornado GR4s at least 126 times in attacks on the militants, with each one flown from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at an estimated cost of £35,000 an hour.

With an average flight time of somewhere between four and eight hours - thanks to the help of Voyager air-to-air refuelling tankers accompanying them on each mission - the total cost quickly racks up to around £26.5million.

Tornados are usually flown in pairs and are equipped with both Brimstone and Paveway IV missiles.

Brimstones - ‘smart bombs’ which can pinpoint small targets in crowded areas - have been fired at least 54 times on trucks, buildings and groups of ISIS terrorists.

The missiles cost £105,000 each and account for another £5.67million spent hunting down members of the barbaric group.

Meanwhile at least 66 500lb Paveways have been dropped on ISIS in Iraq by the eight Tornados the RAF has sent to the region. The heavier weapons are used on larger targets and cost £22,000 each.

Because of the threat posed by Tornados to the Islamists, they have taken to travelling at night or in poor weather to avoid being seen.

But this does not stop Britain’s fleet of 10 unmanned Reaper drones, which can locate and fire on small targets from as high as 45,000ft, from picking off ISIS convoys trying to take advantage of poor visibility.

Reapers, which can fly for up to 30 hours before needing to refuel, have fired on the extremists 75 times during the RAF mission, which started in October last year.

(dailymail.co.uk)