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British Military Aviation in 2001

7 March
The European Helicopter Industries Merlin HC3 is delivered to No.28 Squadron at RAF Benson.

11 April
RAF Nordhorm range in Germany is closed.

23 May
The Boeing C17 Globemaster III is formally accepted into Royal Air Force service, with No.99 Squadron.

June
Ultra Electronic's Replacement Acoustic Processor (RAP) enters service on the Nimrod MR2 fleet.

June
The first pair of uprated Adour 106 engines is delivered for service with the Royal Air Force's Jaguar fleet.

30 June
Squadron Leader Justin Paines becomes the first Royal Air Force pilot to fly the Lockheed Martin F35B.

17 July
No.28 Squadron is officially reformed at RAF Benson.

18 July
Following engineering modifications, a Concorde flies to RAF Brize Norton to begin flight trials prior to its re-introduction into service with British Airways and Air France.

10 August
A Royal Air Force (RAF) Panavia Tornado GR4 attacks Iraqi air defence locations in co-operation with United States Air Force (USAF) units.

21 August
No.31 Squadron Panavia Tornados, the last permanently German based Royal Air Force unit, leaves RAF Bruggen.

September - October
Operation Saif Sareea II: a combined, joint exercise involving United Kingdom and Omani forces takes place in Oman. 'Saif Sareea II' was more than three years in the planning and is the most complete test to date of the United Kingdom's Joint Rapid Reaction Forces. The operation involves the following resources:

Post September
The Royal Air Force provides tanker and reconnaissance support to the allied coalition, in the war in Afghanistan.