5 Live News Specials29 Huhti 2021

RAF pilot: 'utterly horrific' drone warfare gave me PTSD

A former military drone pilot says he has been left with PTSD after being put at risk of "psychological harm" for years on end while viewing "utterly horrific" things on screen. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Adrian Chiles, ‘Rob’ (not his real name) also said he became suicidal due to the way the armed forces dealt with his request for mental help. Rob was a member of 13 Squadron until 2017, a specialist team within the Royal Air Force which operate unmanned drone aircraft from a military base in the UK. The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, or Reaper, was first used by the UK in Afghanistan in 2008 for surveillance, and later fitted with weapons. By March 2015 the UK had carried out some 70 drone strikes against so-called Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq.

The MOD issued this statement, ‘‘We do not recognise the allegations made with respect to the working environment on our Reaper Squadrons. The RAF actively manages Reaper Force crews to ensure that their workload is manageable, sustainable and balanced, alongside providing world-class military healthcare for those that need it. “All allegations of civilian casualties are subject to extensive investigations. We continue to do everything we can to minimise the risk of civilian casualties through the rigorous targeting processes and the professionalism of our crews.”

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5 live Breakfast is in the village of Wadhurst, East Sussex. Wadhurst lost 149 men during World War One, a story of loss that is repeated in towns, villages and cities across the UK. Nicky Campbell t...

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28 Huhti 201411min

Dying Dad writes a letter to his 5 year old daughter.

Tom Attwater is 30 and has terminal cancer. He's devoting the time he has left to raising funds for the treatment of his 5 year old stepdaughter Kelli, who is battling the rare childhood cancer neurob...

4 Huhti 201436min

Teenage Cancer Trust Gig at The Albert Hall

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25 Maalis 201449min

Torture survivors share their stories

With rare access to the Freedom from Torture centre in London, Dominic Laurie and Shelagh Fogarty speak to survivors of torture and find out how hard it is to rebuild the lives of people who have suff...

21 Maalis 201429min