Gibson, Chris Typhoon to Typhoon. RAF Air Support Projects and Weapons since 1945

This book examines the RAFs ground attack capabilities, the threats it faced, and the weapons, technologies and aircraft developed to counter those threats from the end of World War II to the present day, moving from the era of the Hawker Typhoon to that of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Throughout the Cold War a major RAF role was to conduct low-level attacks in support of NATO ground forces. Weapons and aircraft developed to carry out this task included the Hawker Typhoon and Hunter. Harriers and Phantoms were later used. With the increase in Warsaw Pact armoured forces and their air defence capability, new weapons and aircraft were required resulting in two roles becoming RAF specialities: counter-air and anti-armour operations. The former saw Buccaneers and Jaguars armed with nuclear weapons and Tornadoes with JP.233 to be used against airfields while the latter saw Harriers, Jaguars and Phantoms with BL.755 cluster bombs and latterly Typhoons with Brimstone, against armour. Another role assigned to the RAF in support of its own, and the Armys, operations was tactical reconnaissance. This equipment evolved from the wet-film cameras of the 1940s and the IR linescan systems of the 1970s to the real-time battle management systems on the Sentinel R.1 in the new century. Thankfully the RAF never went to war in Europe but saw plenty of action around the world, where the aircraft and weapons developed to counter the Soviets were used against enemies old and new.

During the Cold War, an important role of the RAF was to carry out low-altitude attacks in support of NATO ground forces. Weapons and aircraft developed for this role included the Hawker Typhoon and Hawker Hunter. "Harriers" and F-4 "Phantoms" later took over this role. With the growth of the Warsaw Pact's armoured forces and their air defence capability, new weapons and aircraft were required, resulting in two roles becoming the RAF's speciality: Missions to combat enemy ground-based air defences and anti-tank defence. The former was to be carried out by 'Buccaneers' and 'Jaguars' armed with nuclear weapons and Tornados with JP.233s were to be used against airfields, while the fight against tanks was the responsibility of the 'Harriers', 'Jaguars' and 'Phantoms' with BL.755 cluster bombs and finally 'Typhoons' with 'Brimstone' anti-tank missiles. A further role assigned to the RAF in support of its own operations and the Army was tactical reconnaissance. This equipment evolved from the wet film cameras of the 1940s and the IR linescan systems of the 1970s to the real-time battle management systems based on the Sentinel R.1 in the new century. Fortunately, the RAF never had to fight a major war against the Warsaw Pact in Europe, but instead saw action in many other theatres of conflict around the world, where the weapons and systems developed for the war against the USSR encountered weaker and often outdated enemy technology.