ABOUT 160 personnel from RAF Leeming have been in the Gulf since February, supporting the RAF Tornadoes and Jaguars.

The Leeming contingent includes members of 34 Squadron of the RAF Regiment, whose primary role is airfield defence. There are also Leeming chefs, engineers and staff officers in the Gulf, and they will be working with 609 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

There are two squadrons of Tornado F3s based at RAF Leeming. They have been on standby since mid-February. They are 25 and 11 Squadrons and, practically at a moment's notice, they could take an estimated 200 people out with them, including flight crew, engineers and other ground staff. The aircraft could fly from Leeming to the Gulf or the crews could fly out to pilot the F3s already there.

The troops pushing towards Baghdad will probably include the Queen's Dragoon Guards, from Catterick Garrison's Cambrai Barracks. The 600-strong, fast-moving reconnaissance regiment - equipped with Spartans, Scimitars and Strikers - will identify targets for the Allied tanks following and warn them of any dangers which may lay ahead, both in terms of terrain and enemy forces.

Artillery support will be provided by the huge firepower of the AS90s of Topcliffe's 40 Regiment, or the guns of 5 Regiment from Catterick's Marne Barracks.

A 200-strong unit from the Royal Logistical Corps' 8 Transport Regiment - also from Marne Barracks will move men and equipment.

The 3 Close Medical Support from Catterick Garrison and 34 Field Hospital from Strensall, near York - supplemented by the men and women of Catterick Garrison's Normandy Band - will care for casualties or staff who fall ill during the conflict.

Dishforth's 9 Regiment, Army Air Corps, has sent 60 support staff to join Joint Helicopter Command operations in the Gulf. They are either flight engineers or administration officers.

There are another three infantry battalions based at Catterick but, while the risk of more firefighters' strikes remains, it seems unlikely they will be sent to fight in the Gulf.

In total, there are about 2,100 servicemen and women on duty in the Gulf who are usually stationed in North Yorkshire.