RAF exchange pilot joins US Afghan operation
27 Feb 08
An RAF fast jet pilot has traded his Tornado GR4 aircraft for an F15 after taking up an exchange appointment with the United States Air Force (USAF).
Flt Lt Chris Ball, right of picture, has traded his Tornado GR4 for an F15 as the USAF steps up its operations in southern Afghanistan
[Picture: MOD]
RAF Lossiemouth's Flight Lieutenant Chris Ball is now deployed in southern Afghanistan as the US military target Taliban strongholds in the mountainous region along the Afghan/Pakistan border.
Working alongside pilots from 336 Fighter Squadron F15, Flt Lt Ball is flying night operations out of the former Soviet airbase at Bagram, north of Kabul, helping to police the notorious border with Pakistan.
The former RAF Lossiemouth XV (R) Squadron pilot and his US navigator Mark Crawford were recently called in to provide air support to troops located at Forward Operating Bases in the Hindu Kush, the mountainous border region more than 20,000 feet (6,096 metres) above sea level.
The operation was part of the USAF's ongoing efforts to flush out Taliban insurgents believed to be centred in the inaccessible border region. Flt Lt Ball is part of an established RAF/USAF exchange programme, but it is unusual for UK fliers to join live operations:
"We were supporting ground troops in Paktika and Nuristan," Flt Lt Ball explained. "The rugged terrain is difficult with mountain peaks reaching 22,500 ft (6,858 metres) above sea level. It's tough for the guys on the ground - during the day the temperatures can hit the high forties, but at night they plummet to minus 20.
"We are there to support them. The USAF has two planes in the air over the region twenty-four seven. If anything happens on the ground we are there fast. The F15 is awesome, I love the GR4 but this beast is about 50 per cent bigger and armed to the teeth. It is a truly phenomenal plane."