The British Army is the UK’s
second largest operator of military aircraft, fielding more than 300 armed
helicopters, fixed wing surveillance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. Its
aviation units have been in the forefront of UK
combat air operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan between 1999 and
2010.
HRH Prince Harry was recently awarded his ‘wings’ to allow him to
begin training as an Apache attack helicopter pilot, further raising the profile
of British Army aviation.
This book will look at the current units and equipment used by
British Army aviation elements of the Army Air Corps (which operates helicopters
and fixed wing aircraft) and Royal Artillery (which operates unmanned
aerial vehicles or drones). It will provide a detailed account of British
Army aviation operations, drawing on first hand accounts of army personnel and
commanders, official records and the author’s observations from war
zones.