Third in line to the throne, Prince Harry to go for active duty to Afghanistan

Herald Globe Thursday 9th February, 2012

LONDON - Prince Harry, the third in line to the British throne, is due to return to the frontline in Afghanistan after he qualified to fly the crack Apache helicopter-gunships.

The 27-year-old finished top of his class after completing a tough 18-month training programme and was declared "limited combat ready" Wednesday night.

He is now set to join a unit which has the highest "kill rate" in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence in its announcement Wednesday night said that Prince Harry will be expected to fly in combat. However, no date has been announced for his four-month tour of duty.

Known as Captain Wales to his colleagues in the military, the prince according to reports, was the best in his class of 20, making him qualified to fly the aircraft which is known to be one of the most sophisticated in the armed forces.

His older brother, William, is currently in the Falklands Islands flying Sea King search and rescue helicopters.

With Harry's deployment, it would put two members of the British Royal family on operational service for the first time since the modern Armed Forces were formed.

According to royal sources, Harry said he was looking forward to "doing his duty".

At a celebratory dinner with his colleagues at the Wattisham airfield in Suffolk, the young prince was presented with a polished trophy a 30mm round from an Apache cannon mounted on a stand.

Now Harry is to join the 662 Sqn, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps. His grueling training included a survival course during which he was hooded and interrogated in a simulated Taliban kidnapping that left him with a cut on the nose.

In his earlier stint in Afghanistan in 2007-2008, as a junior Army officer, the British media was told not to publicise the matter as news of his whereabouts would make him a target for insurgents.

However, an American website revealed his presence in the Helmand province of Afghanistan 10 weeks into the tour and Harry was forced to return.