Britain's contribution to the military campaign in Afghanistan has been largely logistical and intelligence-based to date. Since the US-led campaign began, nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarines stationed off the coast of Pakistan have fired Tomahawk cruise missiles on two occasions at Taliban military installations.
The missiles were fired on the first night of the military campaign on October 7/8th - hitting a Taliban military installation near Kandahar - and again on October 13th. There are three British Fleet submarines in the region: HMS Superb, HMS Trafalgar and HMS Triumph.
HMS Trafalgar and Triumph are equipped with the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile System (TLAMS).
British forces have taken part indirectly or provided support to US military actions on the 22nd and 23rd days of the campaign. Apart from firing the Tomahawk missiles, the primary role of Britain's forces during the campaign has been to provide RAF tanker aircraft for air-to-air refuelling for US aircraft and RAF reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft to fly operational sorties over Afghanistan.
The RAF aircraft have flown over 100 sorties over Afghanistan, gathering intelligence information. There are at least 10 RAF aircraft involved in the refuelling exercises, such as the VC10 and Tristar tanker aircraft, and Britain has deployed reconnaissance aircraft, including the E-3D AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) and the Canberra PR9.
In addition, Britain has committed a "lead element" of 200 Royal Marines Commandos, which are likely to be deployed on the ground in Afghanistan. A total of 4,200 British forces will take part in Operation Veritas supporting the US forces and it is expected that SAS troops will become involved in covert operations on the ground in Afghanistan.