The British government is looking at the possibility of deploying RAF Tornado fast jets to assist the humanitarian mission in northern Iraq, Sky News understands.
The fighter jets would operate in a surveillance role, providing better situational awareness of the situation.
They would be based in Cyprus at RAF Akrotiri, alongside the C-130 Hercules cargo planes that arrived over the weekend to carry out aid drops.
The Tornados are equipped with Raptor pods, giving them the ability to conduct long and short range surveillance and infra-red photography.
It is thought they will deploy from RAF Marham in Norfolk.
While this move might be regarded as a first footing for British forces into the combat campaign being carried out by US forces, it is being stressed the planes are only a part of the humanitarian relief operation.
On Sunday night, an RAF C-130 had to abort a mission to deliver aid in the Punjar Mountains because too many refugees crowded the dropzone.
There was too great a risk of hitting and injuring or even killing people.
Sky News understands the British government is keen to avoid a repeat situation and the Tornados could provide second-by-second imagery before, during and after any future operations.
Although the US military has many air assets, including unmanned surveillance drones, they are largely focused in the targeting of militant fighters from the Islamic State - also known as ISIS or ISIL - rather than aid delivery.
The Tornados could carry out the missions between 10,000ft and 15,000ft, well out of range of Islamic State fighters.
However, they would probably fly armed as a precautionary measure, and in pairs.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/british-may-raf-tornados-iraq-mission-140425242.html
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