To be considered an ace, a pilot must shoot down five enemy planes – a feat that no British pilot has achieved since the end of World War II (the closest two pilots came during the Falklands War, when each of them recorded three enemy planes destroyed).
Today, the British Air Force no longer officially awards the title of air ace, but the local Ministry of Defense has unofficially awarded it to operators of air defense systems who operate in the Middle East, where they shoot down Iranian kamikaze drones. This is the first such announcement in 80 years, i.e. since the end of World War II.
— During World War II, the title of ace was awarded to a pilot who shot down at least five confirmed enemy aircraft in combat. For the first time, as part of defense operations in the Middle East, several riflemen from the Royal Air Force regiment achieved this historic result, say the British.
A new era of air “aces”
On the one hand, the RAF admits that such a title has a slightly different dimension today and is somehow a reflection of a new era in the military field, but also notes that its operators risk their lives and operate under similar pressure as fighter pilots.
– These operators are not safely seated behind the console. While they track, identify and destroy incoming air threats, they become targets themselves. Missiles and ammunition continue to pound near their position even as they reload, recalibrate, and continue fighting. Every engagement carries real risk, real pressure and real consequences, writes the RAF.
