RAF commander leading IS fight tells ITV News: We're ready to start air strikes in Syria

The RAF commander leading the UK's fight against so-called Islamic State in Iraq says his men and women are ready to take the fight to Syria.

Air Commodore Martin Sampson told ITV News that should Parliament vote to allow an expansion of the British air-war there would be a seamless transition from one country to another.

Watch ITV News Correspondent Emma Murphy's full video report:

Speaking at RAF Akrotiri, the frontline of the current mission, he said: "We are military people. Our mission is to strike at ISIL [also known as IS] and currently we can strike in Iraq.

"If the permissions are extended and we are given the authority to strike at ISIL in Syria then it will be no different. We bring all of our capabilities to bear.

"We are very professional, quick and precise in the way we do our business. To conduct those strikes effectively without any borders will be a seamless transition to us."

Operation Shader, led by 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, is the UK's contribution to a 65-country-strong coalition assault on IS.

Its mission is to attack the self-declared caliphate militarily, but also cut off finance and diminish its appeal to fighters by challenging their ideology.

No-one expects an air war alone to break down the grip the jihadists have over significant swathes of Iraq or Syria, but the hope is support from above will help those fighting on the ground. Iraqi security forces remain weak despite years of international training and have failed to make much progress alone.

So far that British assault has been in the form of a Tornado strike force and RAF Reaper drones. There have been over fifteen hundred reconnaissance, intelligence and surveillance missions over Iraq as well as bombing raids.

Ministry of Defence figures claim 324 successful strikes have been carried out on the ground in Iraq. It is some challenge - IS fighters are adept at blending into populations.

With a zero tolerance policy on collateral damage seeking out the target requires good intelligence and precision. However Air Commodore Sampson insists progress is being made.