London - The British Ministry of Defence spent nearly £1 billion upgrading an RAF bomber aircraft, only to discover that the new Tornado GR-4s could not be used during the Kosovo conflict because they failed to fire laser-guided "smart" missiles, it was revealed yesterday, Rachel Donnelly reports.
It is the latest in a series of embarrassing revelations concerning Britain's defence capability, particularly during the Kosovo conflict. Earlier this year, two senior army officers revealed soldiers were forced to purchase some of their own equipment during the Kosovo crisis and were issued with substandard machinery and weapons.
The smart missiles were given their name because they are meant to be effective in seeking out small or large targets in built-up areas, reducing the risk of civilian casualties. When 45 Tornado GR-4s were delivered to front-line squadrons at the height of the Kosovo conflict, the pilots could not fly them because of problems with firing the laser-guided missiles.