Top Gun inside the RAF C4

[Nighthawke]

No expert but I would guess that the old and new roles roughly align. However imagery will cover more than just photographs per-se and analyst is widely used for many jobs (my title changed several times for basically the same work - including analyst).

I did not see the programme but there was an Airborne Imagery Analyst role for Sentinels when they were in service - possibly a carry-over from those days?

[T_J]

I cannot recall the stats from the first programme but I think that the pilot mentioned that 5-6 drones (TBM?) were being launched every 30secs or maybe 30mins. At the end it was revealed that the Typhoons had downed 3 drones. Agreed that the Typhoon and Pilots may not be operating in a role it was designed for and that the weapons fit might not have been optimised so anything is an excellent result but I was expecting a much higher hit rate. Maybe those 3 were the only ones to get passed the American planes, again that wasn't made clear.

The pilot was referring to seeing Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBM). Sort of incorrect terminology as Iran was launching a mix of short range ballistic missile and medium range ballistic missiles against Israel. SRBM/MRBM. BM would have been more accurate terminology.

[T_J]

Inside the Reaper control cabin we were introduced to "Melissa, an Imagery Analysist". Is that the modern terminology for a Photo Interpreter?
Looking at the patches on her overalls, it appears she is now classified as aircrew. Is that correct?

As an aside, do drone operators receive Flying Pay?

"Melissa" is an RAF Sergeant with no aircrew eagle above her rank slides. If she was Sergeant Aircrew then there would be an eagle above the stripes. She will be an Intelligence Analyst specialising in imagery.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/raf-ranks/

[sdad]

Didn't she have a half-wing though? I think there was an abbreviation in the centre.

[22A]

Didn't she have a half-wing though? I think there was an abbreviation in the centre.

Correct, I played the programme back. No aircrew eagle above her stripes, but definitely a half wing brevit with an abbreviation on her overalls.

[Nighthawke]

It used to be AI:

https://www.rafweb.org/Ranks-Uniform/Badges3A.htm

but a new badge was introduced in 2021 to replace this and others as Airborne Specialist.:

https://www.rafweb.org/Ranks-Uniform/Badges3.htm

Bottom of page for each one.

Hope this helps.

[C24]

Better than nothing

The ATC caravan sequence is extremely misleading, even inaccurately described by the commentator.

“Max has spotted an aircraft attempting to land with its wheels incorrectly …”

The shot is of one of the Reds’ opposition pair running in.
The airbrake is deployed.
It cuts to a normal landing of a Red.

[raptor9]

I think that there where probably 1200 hours of filming done, then the narrative is written in order to suit the footage. I'm always very skeptical about series like these, but hey, they are done for public consumption rather than for enthusiasts. To try to show what life is like in the Royal Air Force these days, I guess it comes across pretty well, which was what is intended.

[cat1]

Inside the Reaper control cabin we were introduced to "Melissa, an Imagery Analysist". Is that the modern terminology for a Photo Interpreter?
Looking at the patches on her overalls, it appears she is now classified as aircrew. Is that correct?

As an aside, do drone operators receive Flying Pay?

on playing it back, I never heard imagery analyst, only intelligence analyst?

Or am I watching a diffrent episode

[Nighthawke]

Look at the link I provided- it says Image Analyst

[mustang5861]

Better than nothing

The ATC caravan sequence is extremely misleading, even inaccurately described by the commentator.

“Max has spotted an aircraft attempting to land with its wheels incorrectly …”

The shot is of one of the Reds’ opposition pair running in.
The airbrake is deployed.
It cuts to a normal landing of a Red.

Ah yes, the False Peril ruse, so beloved of the Torquils and Tabathas in TVLand. What made me roll my eyes was the very old and well-worn visual cliche of the slow-motion approach to the camera finished off with a crossing of the arms and a telling stare. Apart from that, a pretty good show.

[Vulture 01]

Please remember that for the majority of the great British Public, the RAF begins and ends with the Red Arrows. How many know that for many, many years, we've had jets in Cyprus, dropping bombs on the Kings enemies? Maybe now those people wil get a small idea of what goes on outside of soap-opera Britain, and wake up to the threats we're facing. In addition, the guys and gals on the sharp end will get a little recognition for their efforts.

BZ and grateful thanks to all!

[Headance99]

Great PR but i would prefer to see more propaganda about shortages and the need to re arm the RAF ASAP.

Giving billions to Ukraine is barmy if our defences are in such a perilous position.

F35 deliveries are a glacial pace.

There is talk of the early Typhoons going, even though they are surely a match for the Russian Air Force.

We have two aircraft carriers paddling around the would with a pitifil number of aircraft on board. I've never seen a number in double figures, it's pathetic.

[Finty]

Great PR but i would prefer to see more propaganda about shortages and the need to re arm the RAF ASAP.

Giving billions to Ukraine is barmy if our defences are in such a perilous position.

F35 deliveries are a glacial pace.

There is talk of the early Typhoons going, even though they are surely a match for the Russian Air Force.

We have two aircraft carriers paddling around the would with a pitifil number of aircraft on board. I've never seen a number in double figures, it's pathetic.

It's not so much talk as actually happening but that aside, I agree.

[Unknown74]

Sorry but not really enjoying it as much this time as I did the RAF Lossiemouth Series Last Time for some reason.... Has got some good points though....

[Bob DeBilda]

The a/c from Biloxi, were sent to Cyprus to bolster those already at Akrotiri. Why would you go to extra trouble deploying jets from the UK when you already had some a stones throw away.

A fair percentage of the US assets came off whatever carrier was in the area at the time.

Couldn't agree more!

[Bob DeBilda]

so having watched the program.

Again I understand that, but if they were available and able to forward deploy to Akrotiri then why were they positioned and needed for Biloxi in the first place? either they are needed, or not?

If you recall the situation was quite fast moving, I think there was only a week between the threat from Iran and the launch.

I agree, I was quite suprised at that, Given that there were two aircraft I would have expected an even number of downed drones. to be fair a lot of the drones/missiles/ICBM's were downed by the "Iron Dome". I think the role of the aircraft was to thin out the numbers so the "Iron Dome" didnt get overwhelmed.

Apparently the role of the two RAFaircrsft was to deal with any drones that got past the US aircraft.
It appears only 3 of the 4 weapons launched were successful.

[raptor9]

So, first flight in a Typhoon is flown in a single seater?they have got to be kidding!!!.

[Blackcat1]

Flown before in a 2 ship with an instructor in the lead aircraft , their first solo as individual flights being Typhoon ###, if that makes sense. Don't think there are many twin tubs left? Haven't followed the OCU syllabus for a while.

[raptor9]

Yep. The commentary was very misleading, because it said it was their first flight in a Typhoon, rather than their first solo in a single seater. Just me nitpicking!. Very sad to see the footage about S/Ldr Mark Long. Having coffee in town tomorrow with his Mother's Badminton partner.