What weapons could Britain use against Islamic State if MPs vote 'yes' to airstrikes in Syria?

Image from an RAF Tornado GR4, showing the aircraft using Paveway IV Missiles. Credit: MoD

MPs are preparing to vote on whether to join coalition airstrikes in Syria, after David Cameron declared Britain had more highly-advanced weaponry than many other countries around the world.

Mr Cameron made the comments in his initial speech on the subject last week, as he sought to persuade others in the Commons that the UK's involvement could make a tangible difference to the battle with the so-called Islamic State militant group.

The Ministry of Defence has previously given details of the kinds of weaponry used in successful missions.

These include:

  • Brimstone missiles

Rocket-propelled, radar-guided missiles which could be used to target small, moving targets such as vehicles at long range.

A Tornado GR4 armed with Paveway and Brimstone missiles Credit: MoD

Sections of the RAF are already equipped to fly with these weapons, which were used recently when Tornado fighter jets carried out airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq last year - leading to speculation these could play a key role if Britain was to extend its mission to Syria.

  • Paveway IV bombs

Like the Brimstones, the RAF has already employed these laser-guided bombs in the fight against IS in Iraq.

A Paveway IV laser-guided bomb beneath a Harrier GR9 Credit: MoD

It is said to be more accurate than previous versions, requires no maintenance, has a higher resistance to GPS jamming and is cheaper to make.

  • Stormshadow missiles

Described by the RAF as "arguably the most advanced weapon of its kind in the world", these long-range missiles feature integrated GPS, which allows them to navigate their way to targets at low level.

A Tornado GR4 fighter armed with Storm Shadow cruise missiles Credit: MoD

The GR4 Tornado can usually carry a handful of Paveway IV guided bombs or two Stormshadows - also known as "bunker busters".

They could be used against buildings or compounds, and were used during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

  • Tomahawk cruise missiles

These bombs are launched from Royal Navy attack submarines, which have been equipped to use them since the late 1990s.

A Tomahawk hits the target during a training exercise Credit: MoD

The Tomahawk IV has a range of well over 1,000 miles, and has the advantage of being able to be redirected to a new targets in mid-flight,It can also beam images back to the submarine.

  • Drones

Unmanned drones have been deployed on a number of occasions in Afghanistan, used for reconnaissance and ground attack missions.

An RAF Reaper RPAS (Remotely Piloted Air System) in Afghanistan Credit: MoD

These could, in theory, be redeployed to attack targets in Syria - but it is more likely they would be used to gather intelligence about key targets and Islamic State strongholds than to carry weapons.

In October, David Cameron said he would double the number of drones in Britain's arsenal by scrapping the existing model, Reapers, and replacing them with 20 Protectors.