All language subtitles for T.G.I.T.R.S02E02.WEB-T3

This prgramme contains
strong language

Our orders come from
the highest level of government.

We need to strike enemy targets
in Yemen.

The enemy has the firepower
to shoot us down.

This is a big moment -
when you cross over the coast

and you know
you're not safe any more.

There's no such thing
as a simple mission.

When I press the commit button,

there is a delay
until the point of impact.

And that period of time
can feel like an eternity.

The RAF is on high alert.

We know something is going to happen
in the next 24 hours.

Buzzard tower, radio check.

There's a potential
ISIS safe house.

Everything that's happening
with Russia and Ukraine,

it's like a tinder box.

You're doing an important role
protecting from Vladdie the Baddie.

Come on!

Here we go.

Whoa. Holy shit.

With conflict in Europe
and the Middle East...

..British war planes are
poised to face any threat.

ID'd Russian aircraft.

You don't want to fire on it
and end up starting WWIII.

Maintaining 210,

fly to 8.1, circular loiter.

Quite nicely kept, that.

Yeah, a rich person must
live there.

Vineyard in the back.

Not a bad gaff at all really,
is it?

How much do you reckon that is
to buy?

If that was in Cheshire...
A couple of mil. Yeah, easy.

Yeah, loads of room
for expansion, that.

THEY CHUCKLE

The RAF is gathering intelligence
across the Middle East,

using the next generation
of aircraft,

the MQ-9 Reaper drone.

It's going to be about 43 degrees
centigrade on the ground.

Sunburn weather.

Flying undetected at high altitude,

the drone seeks out hostile forces
and can strike with lethal effect.

We're just going to search
the wider area,

see if we can see
anyone moving around.

Remotely operated,

it's controlled
over 3,000 miles away

at RAF Waddington.

Situated in the heart
of Lincolnshire,

this is the RAF's
main intelligence airbase...

Cleared for take-off, 115.

..and home to the UK's Reaper force.

I always wanted one of those
old-school leather flying jackets

and never been able to get one.

But while I was out in Qatar,

I've got this very fetching
sort of gilet-style thing.

I think it's cool,
I think it's cool.

I think it adds
a certain je ne sais quoi.

I used to really enjoy
a bit of acting.

I mean, hence the nickname Ollywood.

That and because I look
like a slightly shit version

of Rooster from Top Gun 2.

My name's Ollie
and I'm a Reaper drone pilot.

13 Squadron is a very,
very secretive organisation.

We fly the RAF's
only operational drone.

We are flying live operations
against enemy forces,

every single day, 24/7, 365.

There's no doubt
amongst security officials

around the world -

the threat of ISIS has returned.

For the last few months,

Ollie and the Reaper squadron's
focus has been countering

a resurgent ISIS in the Middle East.

Syria remains ridden by chaos,
vast ungoverned spaces,

and that's allowed ISIS to rebuild.

Inside 13 Squadron's headquarters,

fresh intelligence
on the terror group has just arrived

from Iraq.

Er, right, team,

the aircraft's already in transit
on the way up there.

I'm Wing Commander Stu,
I'm the boss of the squadron.

The security situation
in the Middle East is

a lot more volatile
than what it has been.

From the intelligence-led
information that we have thus far,

we've got some coordinates
of where ISIS may be living.

You're tasked to go
and have a look in that area.

Ollie's mission is to fly
the Reaper drone

above a region
of recent ISIS activity,

to find any trace
of ISIS safe houses,

weapon stores or vehicles.

Should the team find any militant,

they can intervene
with lethal force.

Brill. Any questions for me?

See you at the step desk.

Cool. Happy days. Let's go.

ISIS, they're very much
still a live threat

to the security of the UK.

Reaper is very much
at the forefront

of technological advancement.

We bring a lot to the party.

Drones are absolutely part
of the battlefield of the future.

Capable of flying on operations
around the world,

all of Britain's Reaper drones
are controlled from boxes

inside 13 Squadron's hangar.

This is the first time
that TV cameras have been allowed

to film live operations with Reaper.

Flying an unmanned aircraft is
very different

to a conventional plane.

I am a pilot in the Air Force
who does not ever leave the ground.

These are the GCSs.
It's essentially a cockpit.

Everyone thinks drones -
they're tiny

and you fly them
sort of with a Xbox controller.

That's not the case.

The Reaper is 66ft wide -

wider than Typhoon
but not quite as long.

Controlled via satellite,

Reaper drones can fly
over 18 hours nonstop.

They're equipped
with a state-of-the-art camera

to identify targets,

and laser-guided missiles
to eliminate them.

The mission is ahead of us.

Entry waypoint is at Creed.

Glide speed at 98, still speed 87.

Baghdad, Assalaamu Alaikum.

When I joined the Air Force,
I was 21.

All I wanted to do was fly.

They said that they weren't
recruiting any pilots at the time,

but they desperately needed
Reaper pilots.

I didn't know what it was,
I had no idea.

Engine looks good,
no change on the batteries.

But once I did a bit of research,
I accepted.

I'd been in for about a year
when I first took command

of an operational sortie.

That was intense.

Reaper is not a computer game.

To a lot of people,
it is life and death.

We are on task.

Happy days.

The team are above the co-ordinates
provided by Iraqi intelligence

and must now survey the ground below
for any signs of ISIS.

I think
that's fairly obviously a farmer.

Chickens running around.

He doesn't look very nefarious,
does he?

If there is something to find,
we'll find it, even if it's tiny.

Flying alongside Ollie is
camera and sensor operator, Jim...

Speed is 120 knots,
maintains 120 knots throughout.

Roger.

..and Melissa,
an intelligence analyst.

In this region, we know that,
after the defeat of ISIS,

a lot of the smaller ISIS cells
have kind of gone to ground,

so gone into hiding.

So, when we do this kind of tasking,

often we're looking
for the abnormal.

We're going to search
around buildings, etc,

look for any signs
of nefarious activity -

weapons systems,
large groups of adult males.

The useful thing about drones is
that we can loiter

over a single location
for a long period of time,

use the camera to build and develop
that intelligence picture.

Sometimes we're following the target
for months

without them noticing
that we're there.

We're starting to see some movement.
The... That white, small van.

Ooh, what's going up here?

Ollie and the team have spotted
a white pick-up truck,

commonly used by ISIS fighters.

There's no other traffic present
in this area that I've seen so far.

Looks like he's pulling
into this compound. Yep.

Cos if they're loading or unloading,

then it's probably worth
keeping tabs on.

Looks like they're... Looks like
they're loading or unloading,

but, annoyingly,
it's in the shadows.

Gone are the days
where ISIS would drive around

with their big flags on the back

or wearing uniform,
openly carrying weapons,

because they don't hold territory
like they used to.

Now they are blending in
with civilian population.

That's their MO now.

They're far better
at remaining undetected.

What does the windscreen look like
on those cars? Is it clear or dusty?

The team rely only upon intelligence
passed to them,

and Reaper's long-range camera,
to decipher what they're seeing.

Windshield looks fine.

Makes me think it's been used
fairly recently.

Yeah, there is a mast
of some description

on the roof of this building.
I've seen.

I'm just trying to figure out
what that is,

cos obviously there's been quite
a few things on roof tops

that have turned out
to be heavy machine guns.

With Jim analysing
the roof structure,

another vehicle driving erratically
has drawn the team's attention.

This vehicle has pulled out
of that road.

We can see right now there's two,
at least two, people in there.

And it's heading
towards the same compound.

You do get a hunch

for when something doesn't
look quite right.

So, it looks like at least four?
Four out.

Yeah. At least four,
meeting other people.

All wearing traditional dress.

Four adult males crammed into a car,
it's hot.

There is definitely something
that doesn't sit quite right

about the way they drove up
to that building as well. Yeah.

The way
the general population behave

and the way members of ISIS behave
are not the same.

ISIS have their own way
of operating,

they have an intent.

This could certainly be ISIS.

We've got to make sure
that we are ready.

It could go flash to bang
in a second.

Waddington tower, Waddington tower,

Sapphire request
to enter the runway at Foxtrot.

BIRD CALLS

RAF Waddington houses
a large range of diverse aircraft.

Good morning, it's Waddington Tower.

We are now open
and using runway 2-0.

Keeping them safe round the clock
are a team of over 500 ground staff.

I'm AS1 Matt Kidd at RAF Waddington
at air traffic control.

Growing up,
I wanted to be a football player.

I'd get David Beckham's...
all his haircuts -

curtains, the Mohicans, everything.

But eventually, you're like, "Right,
I might not be quite good enough."

Today, Air Traffic Control Assistant
Matt is being stationed

at the far end of the runway.

We are the last safety barrier
for take-off and landing.

So, Matt's going to do something
that we call "last look checks".

Checking, making sure there's
no leaks coming from the aircraft,

the tyres are inflated.

Make sure there's no smoke
coming from the engines.

Hang on, there's birds.
Can you see them?

It's always the case
when the loud aircraft get overhead.

They all come up from the field.

Obviously an aircraft hits them,
obviously it gets in the engine,

obviously it could lead to a crash.

It's obviously extremely important
with the risks involved

that we are spot-on every time.

Falcon 8-4, negative gear.
MAN SPEAKS OVER RADIO

Matt has spotted a jet
approaching the runway.

Falcon 8-4, negative gear.

Whose landing gear isn't
in the correct position.

So, he's not acknowledging that,
so...

Fired red pyro.

So, when you fire the pyros,
it is an adrenaline rush.

The pilot corrects the issue...

Caravan.

..before coming into land.

And there he is, landed.
Happy days, mate. Well done.

Thank you.

Away from the airfield,

Matt is expecting an arrival
of a different kind.

Right, shall we build this, Geri?
Yep.

Flat packing is my job.

Well, I read the instructions.

Geri is my partner,

we've been together
just over five years now,

and we are expecting our first-born
any minute, any day now.

So, we met at uni, didn't we?
She wouldn't leave me alone.

Well, he says that to everyone!
The other way round.

With the baby's arrival imminent,

Matt's been presented
with a fresh distraction.

So, Matt come home
and he was, like, just randomly,

out the blue,
"I'm going to the Falklands."

And I just wasn't prepared
to hear that.

I always knew Matt would go away
at some point.

I just never thought it'd be
when I needed him the most.

I do wish he wasn't going.

I just was begging him,

like, "Please tell them, like,
can you go next year?"

And it's just not possible.

Can you get that side? Yep.

Obviously it's never nice
leaving your family to go away,

but obviously I've signed up
for this, it's what I'm here to do.

I think he will be upset.
I think anyone would be.

He's just keeping it together
for us, really.

Cos I'm sure he knows
if I see him upset

I'll be even more upset!

Matt's deployment to the Falklands
will last for six months.

We're done.

OK? Yeah, thank you.

MATT SIGHS, GERI LAUGHS

Ready!

MAN SHOUTS INSTRUCTIONS

54, pass.

Thank you so much.

Patch it up. Cracking.

Those guys in the sky need you
to make their sandwiches.

Current aircraft altitude 100, 210.

Inside 13 Squadron's hangar,

pilot Ollie, camera operator Jim
and intelligence analyst Melissa

are controlling a Reaper drone
over 3,000 miles away above Iraq.

Yeah, doesn't look
like there's anything in the back.

Can't see any boxes, barrels, etc.

For the last hour,

they've been tracking four men
behaving suspiciously.

He's moving very quickly again now.

They are now on the move
in a white truck.

About 20 metres per second.

There's always the potential
that the people in this vehicle are

direct members of ISIS, given
the location that they came from.

Copied.

You can kind of get a sense
of ISIS personnel.

Obviously if we see
a weapons system,

that makes it a lot easier for us.

Er, there's a main road coming up
in approximately three miles, yeah.

If he makes a left turn
at that main road,

there's a small settlement.

If he turns right
out into the desert,

and there are no settlements
for a considerable distance,

then we can assess
that it's far more likely

that he is doing
something nefarious.

ISIS has a network of safe houses
in remote locations

acting as accommodation,
training facilities,

or even headquarters,
for planning acts of terror.

We're approaching that junction now.

At no point within the mission
are we sitting there going,

"Gosh, I hope this turns
into something sinister.

"Let's get going."

But to not be prepared for that
to happen would also be a mistake.

And he is turning right.

So, he is turning
towards the deserted location.

So this is a high probability
of him being affiliated to ISIS.

There's a possibility
he might be heading

to some sort of weapons cache.

He's driving quite erratically,

there's a lot of slowing down
and speeding up.

Bongo's off. He's just pulled off
to the side of the road.

It's literally
into the middle of the desert.

There's nothing for miles and miles.
It is.

Yeah, that's really strange, that,
isn't it?

We're currently just standing off,
just to avoid detection.

Obviously, we don't want anyone
that we are watching to hear us

or even spot us visually.

Analyst Melissa is relaying
minute-by-minute information

to an intelligence support unit.

So, we conduct
a couple of scans up and down.

Just see if we can see anything
and maybe zoom in one.

The support unit can update
the team's orders,

but before they do,
the van makes off again.

Looks like he's turning around. Yep.

Genuinely, that is suspicious.
Why? What are you doing?

What are you up to?

At the moment, as long as we're
reporting back effectively

to the intelligence unit
that is working with us,

the information we get
from following this vehicle is

far more useful than us
just taking him off the board.

Right turn off the road there.

Seen. Approaches random building.
Stand by.

Vehicle has stopped. Seen.

One out of the building. White trad.

One adult male, white trad,
interacting with the driver? Seen.

An adult male has
just left the building.

Two adult males out of the building

and now both interacting
with the driver of the white Bongo

we've been following.

There is a potential that
they may well be collecting people

to go and perform
some sort of hostile act.

So, the supported unit
have this down

as a possible ISIS weapons cache.

Updates from the mission commanders
are being fed through

to the Reaper team.

They want us to continue
to observe this building.

In recent weeks,

Iraqi peacekeeping forces have
been attacked by ISIS

at nearby roadside checkpoints.

Circular loiter.

There's an Iraqi checkpoint
three, four nautical miles away.

With Iraqi forces
only a few miles away,

Ollie's authorised
to use lethal force

if he sees
an immediate threat to life.

You need to be able to switch

from that intelligence-gathering
mindset into that

'Let's put a weapon down - strike'
mindset...rapidly.

Put the crosshairs on the ground.

Your heart starts going.
And you start to sweat.

Your hands go all clammy.

Oh, movement just to the
southern corner of the building.

We are here to eliminate ISIS.

I'm just trying to figure out
what that is.

There's a child there.
Affirm, seen.

But seeing a child is
the worst-case scenario.

That's three...four adult men?

I can see now
that there's just a child

come into frame as well there.

An armed RAF Reaper drone is flying
above a group

of suspected ISIS militants in Iraq.

A child has just been spotted
with the group.

It's odd for them to be

in such close proximity
to one another.

Yes, seen.

Pilot Ollie is liaising
with senior commanders

about the team's next move.

We are going to keep eyes on it.

Unless we see rounds
going down range,

weapons going down range
towards friendly forces,

coalition forces,

it's never our decision to employ
a weapon and engage.

There's a full team.

You've got senior military chiefs,

you've got a military lawyer,

you've got a policy adviser,

and they will all work together
to assess

that this is a target
we actually want to take out.

We've got a 3-4 nautical mile
stand-off range.

We'll probably just put
500m circles round it,

just to avoid flying
directly over the target.

Although the suspected ISIS group
is well in range

of the Reaper's missiles,

it's been decided
by mission commanders

that a child's life
cannot be risked.

All right, see you in a bit.
Bye-bye.

ISIS have learned
that we will not strike targets

if there are women
and children present,

because they are classed
as non-combatants.

So, what we see quite a lot of times

with high-value individuals
within ISIS

is that they will use that
to their advantage.

Often we'll see that they'll bring
a single child along with them,

and it gives them, essentially...

They're safe
for that period of time.

We'll sit on this target
for quite some time.

With Reaper, we've got
multiple crews coming in and out,

doing night shifts and day shifts.

And sometimes it will take
months and months

of target development

before we employ weapons
without any collateral damage.

Bingo, we need to be back off task
at 16.15 to get back.

So happy to max chat back
for the next crew.

Knowledge of the suspected ISIS cell
is being passed

up the command chain.

Back to the MSR?

The next Reaper crew on shift
will continue

to monitor them,
and strike if necessary.

Cool, crew debrief.

We handed over the Bongo
that we were tracking

to the next crew.

They're going to keep
feeding that back to the SU

and push on from there.

When we first started using Reaper,

there was so much secrecy
around what we did

and it became sensationalised.

A lot of the detractors to drones
say we're just a load

of computer gamers, sipping coffee,
eating doughnuts

and just flying around, deciding
we don't like the look of someone

and dropping a missile on them.

Thank you. Thank you for
your work today. Have a good one.

Nice one. Thank you very much.
Thank you, sir.

But we care about what's going on
down on the ground.

You're in for often 12.5 hours,
13 hours a day.

Afterwards you're knackered,
you're absolutely shattered.

It's a very strange thing
to be following a target in Iraq,

then hand over
not knowing what happens next,

and then I'm in Tesco buying dinner.

The real toll is it's very difficult

to disassociate
from what we were just doing,

back into normal life.

But at the same time,
it's an incredible feeling.

We are providing security
to the nation and our allies 24/7.

Morning, Sir.

Yeah, good, thank you. How are you?

Rover one Waddington Tower.

Enter runway 2-0
from the northern cable.

Yeah, it's good. Hmm.

This is Elsie.
She's 20 days old today.

She's everything now, isn't she?
Mm-hm.

Soon to deploy to the Falklands,
Matt has just become a father.

The birth went well, really.
I mean, it was a bit of a...

We had a C-section,
so that was a bit of a surprise.

Yeah, it was a big shock.

Like, obviously, we planned
just to have a normal labour.

And then, two days before,
the midwife said she's too big.

Just safer for both of you,
weren't it? Yeah.

And it was perfect.

She's a really chilled baby,
isn't she? Yeah.

But obviously things can change
when he goes back to work!

He's literally going to leave
when she's a newborn and come back

and she's going to be, like,
six months, like, crawling.

But he's just holding it
all together.

And I think
it's because I'm so upset,

he's just trying
to just keep it positive.

I'll put all the...

..pots in one of them.

Liquids.

To help pack,
Matt's enlisted his dad,

who knows first-hand
about life in the forces.

Matt was born out in Cyprus in '95,

when we were on our first tour
as a married couple.

And then he's been with us
through Brunei,

Cyprus, three Germany tours,

so transition and change
has not been,

you know, it's not alien to Matt.

Do you reckon
these will be all right?

I'd spread them out
across a couple of bags.

I wouldn't try and fill one bag.

Hang on a minute. No!

This is for when he gets sad
at night, folks.

Don't! Come on,
you know you want it.

DAD LAUGHS

It's essential.

Nice, I'll take pictures of that
for Elsie and send them home,

like you did for us.

That's it. Ready to go.

Downstairs, three generations
of Matt's family have come

to see him off.

This will be the last time they'll
be together for at least six months.

She might be walking
by the time you get back, Matt.

Hello. What is it?
Well, she's got a walker, so...

I don't feel bad for myself.

Obviously, it's what I signed up
for, but it's just, like, Geri,

having to leave her with a newborn
and just making sure she'll be fine

and have the support while I'm gone.

I do know, like, she's strong
and she'll be able to sort it.

Just got to crack on.

Service before self.
Like, it's part and parcel of it.

It's a part of the game.

Ready when you are, Shep.

CHATTER OVER RADIO

Clear for take-off. Wind 0-6-0.

You see it on the news all the time

with all the bombs
that are hitting the ground,

these are the ones
that are going off.

Just over 300 miles
off the coast of Syria,

RAF Akrotiri is the Air Force's
busiest front line station.

Tower Ascot 9958 ready
for departure.

Roger, runway 2-8
clear for take-off.

Its warplanes are central to
the UK's effort,

countering Russian
aggression from the north...

Russian markings.

..combating the resurgence
of Isis to the east...

Maintain eyes on that person.

..and facing down emerging
threats across the region.

Morning. Morning, mate.

Thank you, sir. Cheers.
Great. Thank you.

My whole family was in
the Air Force.

I actually used to live here as
a child.

One of those little boys whose
head was always looking skyward.

Quite funny to see myself here as
a grown-up

and the boss of a typhoon squadron.

I'm Wing Commander Mark Robertson,
OC 11 Squadron.

Back in the UK,
I've got a young family.

Leaving home to go on
tour is bittersweet.

However, my wife would say
I'm an emotionless robot,

so I just come and get on with it.

Morning. You all right?

Known as Robbo by his squadron,

this is the wing commander's
last tour on the front line.

You might notice the torture
contraption behind me.

Being strapped to a seat for eight
or nine hours a day,

it hurts after a while, so you
use this contraption to release

the knots in your back.

I think I've got the neck
of a 65-year-old already,

so you've just got
to look after yourself.

At a time of increased tension
across the Middle East,

Robbo's responsible
for over 150 personnel,

including 15 Typhoon pilots.

We're on bit of
a strategic knife edge,

making decisions that could have
really big political consequences,

so, you know, don't screw it up!

ALARM WAILS

This is coalition warship security.

Whilst operating off
the coast of Yemen,

British destroyer HMS Diamond has
come under missile attack

from a terror group.

Less than ten seconds from impact...

Missile inbound.

The crew shoot the incoming
missiles out of the sky.

An Iranian-backed rebel group,
the Houthi,

continues to target UK and US
naval forces in the Red Sea.

Following the attacks on HMS Diamond
and Western cargo ships,

the Houthis, a terrorist regime
that controls much of Yemen,

escalate their aggression by
attacking the US Air Force.

Now to the Middle East and the
dramatic new video from the

Iran-backed Houthi militia, who
claim it shows them shooting down

a US drone in Yemen.

We saw this huge attack last night
by the Houthi militants.

This has to stop.

That is my simple message to
them today. Watch this space.

Robbo's squadron has just
been handed fresh orders

direct from Downing Street.

In response to the Houthi attacks,

we've been tasked with striking
some Houthi facilities in Yemen.

Intelligence analysis has identified
two target locations for us,

which are housing long-range drones

that are used for these
strikes against shipping.

Our task is to strike those targets.

It'll be approximately
a seven-hour mission.

There is a surface-to-air threat
there that we have to think about.

The Houthi missile sites
are located inland,

protected by anti-aircraft weaponry.

From RAF Akrotiri,

Robbo will lead a team of
fully armed Typhoons southeast,

along a safe passage
above the Red Sea.

After nightfall, they'll cross
into hostile airspace in an attempt

to eliminate the
missile facilities.

PHONE RINGS

Yeah, happy. All planned.

They'll be taking four Paveway IVs

and four missiles each.

Actions like this come from the
highest levels of government.

The UK needs to show that if they
do attack our ships and our allies,

then we're prepared to
do something about it.

That's what the Air Force
is here to do.

Team's all good to go.

Yep, will do. Bye.

Flying alongside Robbo

will be one of the RAF's
most experienced pilots.

I'm the oldest pilot on 11 Squadron.

Fear is not a useful tool
in the job that we do.

This is the sharp end, if you want,
the tip of the spear.

Out briefing.

Just focused on the
task that's coming up.

Pre-checklist for all your items.

Camera, head torch. Yep.

We're going into hostile territory,
so if the worst does happen,

we have a survival pack.

Cash, fuel card, security...
pistol and mags.

Doing something like this,

I don't know if I will
see my family again.

There's an element of guilt.

This is the first time Robbo
and Ed will take on the Houthis...

Slide to go forward.

Operate the trigger.

..and little is known about how
capable their air defences are.

We know the Iranians have given the
Houthis weapons that can target us.

The worst-case scenario is obviously
losing a pilot on this mission.

The second-worst would be captured

and the exploitation
that comes with that.

We're putting ourselves into
harm's way for this mission.

Everyone is aware of the
potential to be shot at.

Robbo and Ed must now fly
three hours southeast.

As night falls, they'll join forces

with American jets
for the final assault.

We're pulling this plan together
in a very rapid timeline.

Flying over a country in the dark,
in the middle of the night,

going into a threat that we
don't know, to drop a bomb.

Anything can go wrong.

There is a real risk.

An American Reaper drone
is making final checks

on Houthi missile facilities...

..ensuring no civilians are present
before coalition air strikes begin.

100 miles away over the Red Sea,

Robbo and Ed are joining up
with American jets.

Flying a fully armed
aircraft on a mission,

I still get those
flutters in my tummy.

We know that the Houthis will have
the firepower to shoot us down.

I want to make sure I get through
the next 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes

without making a mistake.

The team have waited for
the cover of darkness

to help evade the Houthis'
anti-aircraft missiles,

provided by Iran...

..but night flying adds
a layer of complexity.

Overnight-vision goggles,

it is just like looking
through two toilet tubes

with green plastic in front of them.

The actual act of flying
is a lot harder,

but we want the
element of surprise.

It's time for the RAF jets to start
the first phase of the bombing run.

It's a big moment when you
cross over the coast

and you know you're
not safe any more.

The US drone flying
above the target area

has just been shot down,

confirming fears about
Houthi anti-aircraft capability.

There's no such thing
as a simple mission.

Hearing on the radio that
the drones been shot down,

all of a sudden, it feels very real.

But we trust in the kit
and we trust in the plan.

The RAF jets remain on course
to the Houthi targets.

First in range is Ed.

On approach to a target, there'd
be almost no chat on the radio.

Everyone is just focused,
really focused.

TICKING

TICKING SPEEDS UP

Ed is first to approach his target,
a large Houthi missile site.

When we release the bombs...

..you feel a thump.

There is a delay until
the point of impact.

And that period of time
can feel like an eternity.

Seeing the target area
being successfully struck,

there's a surge of adrenaline.

But the job's not over.

Now it's time to be a wingman.

Once the first aircraft
drop their bombs,

the enemy knows you're coming.

That threat level goes up
and so too must our focus.

With the Houthis now on high alert,

Robbo's heading towards
the final target.

Cloud cover is blocking the view
to the last missile facility,

forcing all jets to remain
in the danger zone.

Every second that we're there,
it gives the enemy time to respond,

but if you try and cut corners
or try and be expeditious,

that's where the mistakes will
happen, so you just have to resist

every urge to get
things done quickly.

Robbo spots a gap in the cloud -
an opportunity to attack.

Having struck all the targets...

..British and American jets race
to the safety of the Red Sea.

Our plan was to be in and out
as quickly as we could.

As squadron commander, you certainly
have a sense of apprehension

until you know you're all safe
and over friendly airspace again.

The last person out of the
threat zone has a code word.

The US Navy got
to choose this time.

Obviously an American beer.
HE CHUCKLES

Whilst a coalition drone
is redeployed to assess

the strike's effectiveness,

the RAF jets make their
three-hour return to Akrotiri.

There's just a few poignant
moments in the dark,

when you're flying along,
to reflect on the way back.

Just you and the jet noise
and the stars.

Going on missions, completely
different now to when I started.

My first operational mission,

I was steering the aeroplane
with my knees, looking at the troops

on the ground through binoculars,

and now, we're looking through
laser-targeting bots

and drones that are zipping around.

As the team reaches Cyprus...

..word reaches Robbo from analysts

assessing the aftermath
of the strikes.

Fortunately, the plan worked

and everything we planned
to hit was struck.

When the aeroplanes parked up
and those engines shut down,

there was certainly
a sigh of relief.

It's always good to be home.

Having surveyed the site of
the strikes in Yemen,

the coalition drone has
also landed safely.

I think we have to
embrace technology.

Drones and autonomous platforms
will be a huge part of the future.

It means less people
away from family...

Hi, Dad. Hello.

Dad, what have you done today?

..less pilots in harm's way...

Baghdad Envy One One, Squark 1050.

..but I don't think they'll
completely replace fighter pilots

in my lifetime.

I think they will
complement each other.

It can make us far more powerful

and help protect the UK and its
interests, so it's a good thing.

Next time...

Typhoon 309,
Coningsby approach, radio check.

..a rookie pilot on his
first-ever Typhoon flight

has an emergency in the cockpit...

309's got no comms.

The reality is this is dangerous.

..before the whole of
the RAF is rocked

by a tragic accident at Coningsby.

Thoughts are with his
family and his kids.

It is with great sorrow that
I must confirm the death

of Squadron Leader Mark Long.