2014 War Against the Islamic State

Eurofighter Typhoon in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State

RAF Typhoon FGR4s and Italian Air Force F-2000 Typhoons were documented in the anti-ISIS campaign, with RAF aircraft conducting Paveway IV and Storm Shadow strikes and Italian aircraft flying ISR missions from Kuwait.

Weapon profileEurofighter Typhoon
SideAnti-ISIS coalition and partner forcesRoleLong-Range StrikeInterdictionReconnaissance & Surveillance
Eurofighter Typhoon, Twin-engine multirole combat aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - 2014 War Against the Islamic State
Image source: Commons Royal Saudi Air Force Typhoon F2 Image

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
RAF Typhoon FGR4s conducted Paveway IV strikes against Daesh targets in Iraq during Operation Shader.

Sources: GOV.UK December 2015 RAF Air Strikes, GOV.UK January 2016 RAF Air Strikes, GOV.UK March 2016 RAF Air Strikes, GOV.UK April 2016 RAF Air Strikes

RAF Typhoons supported Iraqi Security Forces in the March 2021 Makhmur Mountains operation and used Storm Shadow missiles.

Sources: RAF Makhmur Operation

Italian Air Force Typhoons were deployed from Kuwait for coalition ISR under Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sources: Italian Air Force Operations, Eurofighter ITAF Endurance Record

Timeline

Eurofighter Typhoon In 2014 War Against the Islamic State

  1. RAF Typhoon strike entries begin in the published log

    The UK strike log recorded Typhoons using Paveway IV against Daesh fighters manning a rocket-launcher position, followed by additional December 2015 Typhoon strikes around Mosul, Sinjar, and Ramadi.

    Sources: GOV.UK December 2015 RAF Air Strikes

  2. Typhoons strike mortar and rocket positions in northern Iraq

    The Ministry of Defence recorded a pair of RAF Typhoon FGR4s using Paveway IV bombs against eight terrorist mortar and rocket positions in northern Iraq.

    Sources: GOV.UK January 2016 RAF Air Strikes

  3. Four Typhoons attack a Daesh weapons factory

    The UK strike log recorded four Typhoons joining a coordinated coalition operation against a Daesh weapons factory near Qubaysah, west of Ramadi, releasing sixteen Paveway bombs.

    Sources: GOV.UK March 2016 RAF Air Strikes

  4. Makhmur Mountains operation concludes

    The RAF said Typhoons supported Iraqi Security Forces during a ten-day operation against Daesh cave positions in the Makhmur Mountains and used Storm Shadow missiles during the operation.

    Sources: RAF Makhmur Operation

  5. Italian Typhoons documented on OIR ISR mission

    Eurofighter reported that two Italian Air Force Typhoons assigned to Task Group Typhoon in Kuwait completed an eight-hour ISR mission as part of coalition Operation Inherent Resolve.

    Sources: Eurofighter ITAF Endurance Record

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

Eurofighter Typhoon use in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State is documented in official British and Italian coalition material. The UK Ministry of Defence recorded RAF Typhoon FGR4s attacking Daesh targets in Iraq from RAF Akrotiri in December 2015, including Paveway IV strikes near Mosul, Sinjar, and Ramadi.

Italian sources document a separate Typhoon role from Kuwait. The Italian Air Force says Task Force Air Kuwait used Eurofighter and Predator assets for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance within Operation Inherent Resolve, and Eurofighter reported Italian Typhoons flying an eight-hour ISR mission as part of the coalition operation.

Sources: GOV.UK December 2015 RAF Air Strikes, Italian Air Force Operations, Eurofighter ITAF Endurance Record

Timeline

The clearest dated RAF Typhoon combat-use record begins in December 2015, shortly after the UK expanded Operation Shader strikes into Syria. On 13 December 2015, the UK strike log recorded Typhoons using Paveway IV against Daesh fighters manning a rocket-launcher position, and later December entries describe Typhoon attacks on mortar positions, vehicles, buildings, a tunnel, and heavy machine-gun or sniper positions in northern and western Iraq.

By early 2016, RAF Typhoon sorties were routine in the published strike log. January, March, and April 2016 entries place Typhoon FGR4s over Ramadi, Haditha, Mosul, Sinjar, Kisik, Fallujah, and other Iraqi areas in close air support and interdiction roles against Daesh targets.

Sources: GOV.UK December 2015 RAF Air Strikes, GOV.UK January 2016 RAF Air Strikes, GOV.UK March 2016 RAF Air Strikes, GOV.UK April 2016 RAF Air Strikes

Narrative

The Typhoon appeared in the campaign as a coalition multirole aircraft rather than as a single-user system. RAF Typhoon FGR4s were used for precision attack and close air support, usually with Paveway IV guided bombs, against Daesh positions, vehicles, weapons stores, tunnel entrances, and firing points threatening Iraqi or Kurdish partner forces.

A later RAF account of a March 2021 operation in the Makhmur Mountains shows the type continuing in the post-territorial-caliphate phase. In that operation, RAF Typhoons supported Iraqi Security Forces clearing Daesh cave complexes, used Storm Shadow missiles against selected cave targets, and the RAF described the strike as the first operational use of Storm Shadow from a Typhoon FGR4.

Italian Typhoon use was documented differently. Italian Air Force public material describes Task Force Air Kuwait as contributing coalition situational awareness through Eurofighter and Predator ISR assets, while Eurofighter's account of the 2022 endurance sortie identifies two Italian Typhoons flying a long ISR mission under Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sources: GOV.UK March 2016 RAF Air Strikes, RAF Makhmur Operation, Italian Air Force Operations, Eurofighter ITAF Endurance Record

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Sources