Retweeted by @hey_itsmyturn from @DefenceGeek:
RAF Begins Supporting Saudi Air Defence?

Royal Air Force A330-MRTT "Voyager" KC.2 airframe ZZ333 has departed RAF Akrotiri (LCRA) earlier this morning and is routing south over the Red Sea towards Jeddah, following UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's announcement that the UK would provide a tanker to support "defensive" operations against the Houthis in Yemen. It will most likely refuel the Eurofighter "Typhoon" jets operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force, which are based at King Fahd Airbase (OETF) near to Jeddah.

Voyager KC.2 "ASCOT9915" ZZ333 #43C6F6

@MATA_osint @UKDefJournal @UKForcesTracker
https://x.com/DefenceGeek/status/2102325495161291195/

Quoted tweet from @DefenceGeek:
UK RAF Voyager to support Saudis with "defensive" operations

The UK Defence Secretary @wesstreeting has confirmed that a single RAF A330-MRTT "Voyager" KC.2 tanker @DefenceHQ will support defensive operations for Saudi Arabia currently fighting the Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen.

I've detailed below the Royal Saudi Air Force's fast-jets and force-multipliers (AWACS, Tankers, UAVs, etc)

It is important to note, the RAF "Voyager" KC.2 does not have a boom for aerial refuelling, using underwing pods, meaning the only jets the Saudis operate that it can refuel are the Eurofighter "Typhoon" and Panavia "Tornado" jets - however given the explicitly-stated "defensive" nature of this support, that rules out the "Tornado" jets as they are the "IDS" (strike) variant, not the air defence variant.

It seems therefore that the current plan will be for the single "Voyager" KC.2 to fly from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, down via the Red Sea to support Saudi's Typhoons stationed at King Fahd Airbase (OETF), likely protecting the skies over Jeddah, Riyadh and any others in range of Houthi weapons.

@MATA_osint @UKDefJournal