Female Top Gun leads UK's first Iraq combat mission: As Britain goes to war for first time in six years, two Tornado jets take off for secret sortie over jihadi held territory... but drop no bombs

Female Tornado pilots conducted hundreds of sorties over Afghanistan as part of Britain’s war against the Taliban.

In early 2010, Flight Lieutenant Juliette Fleming (right) described how she was repeatedly called upon to swoop down within 100ft of rocket-wielding fanatics to disrupt their attacks on UK troops in Helmand province.

Flt Lieut Fleming was based at RAF Marham, Norfolk, where many of the air crew serving as part as Operation Shader are based.

There are thought to be about ten female fighter pilots cleared to fly Typhoon or Tornado jets in combat missions for the RAF.