RAF drone pilots earn their first war medals

support IS in its barbaric battle to establish a caliphate across the Middle East. Around 180 jihadis are thought to have been killed in action and about 360 are still overseas.

When they started leaving, ministers vowed that anyone who returned would be arrested and face possible prosecution under terrorism laws, or at the very least stringent monitoring. The Home Office said the 40 prosecutions included terrorism and non-terrorism offences.

A spokeswoman said: “As of May 2018, approximately 40 individuals had been prosecuted on their return from Syria, either because of offences committed overseas or as part of terrorism investigations.”

“We do not comment on specific operational matters in order to protect our national security so as not to reveal operational tactics.

“It would therefore be inappropriate to break down these figures further or to release information about the specific cases involved.”

Mr Wallace said: “The majority of those who have returned, did so in the earlier stages of the conflict, and were investigated on their return.

“A significant proportion of these individuals are assessed as no longer being of national security concern.” In 2015 Temporary Exclusion Orders DRONE pilots are to be recognised for the role they have played in the military offensive against Islamic State by receiving campaign medals.

Traditionally only members of the Armed Forces who have gone to Iraq or Syria have been entitled to the award.

But now the Operation Shader medal will be extended to RAF crews who have remotely piloted Reaper drones in the Middle East from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire and Creech US Air Force Base in Nevada.

Drone operators, who are all highly trained fighter jet pilots, are designated as “in theatre” when they take their seats at the controls in cramped metal boxes designed to replicate the interior of an aircraft. Reapers have a 65ft wingspan – twice that of a Eurofighter Typhoon – can fly non-stop for 16 hours and are armed with four Hellfire missiles and two laserguided bombs.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said decorating drone pilots recognised “the changing character of warfare”.

“Despite recent success over the last year jets continue to fly out of RAF Akrotiri [in Cyprus] and remotely-piloted Reaper aircraft continue to provide support to the Syrian

Democratic Forces on the ground who are clearing the last pockets of Daesh terrorists in Eastern Syria,” he added.

‘Changing face of warfare’