First drone strike launched from UK soil

Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) has operated its first drone strike from a base situated on UK soil, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirms.

According to the reports, the strike, which took place in Afghanistan on Tuesday April 30, is the first strike being controlled from British soil.

“A Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), operated by pilots from XIII Squadron located at RAF Waddington, has fired a weapon during a mission supporting UK forces on the ground in Afghanistan,” the MoD spokesperson said.

Further details are not available as the MoD abstains from discussing details of specific missions for operational security reasons.

The MoD confirmed on April 25 that its new aircraft, known as XIII Squadron, started flying missions over Afghanistan from RAF Waddington base in Lincolnshire.

According to the reports, the hi-tech Reaper aircraft carries 500lb (230 kg) bombs and Hellfire missiles.

RAF pilots previously controlled armed drones over Afghanistan from the USA base in Nevada.

Over 600 anti-drone activists staged a protest against British government’s use of assassination drones at Waddington base in eastern England over the weekend.