"I have met many Iraqi pilots in the 1980s and I know some as individuals," Harwood said.

"There is a part of us in all pilots that no matter where you are from we are all the same breed and get on."

Two decades ago British officer-training courses were filled with wealthy Middle Easterners, including some who now hold senior positions in Iraq's dilapidated air force.

Harwood is hoping that British education paid off for them now.

"To become a pilot in Iraq you must be well educated, the cream of the crop, and I hope they are bright enough not to swallow Saddam's propaganda," he said.

"I believe there are some who find themselves in that horrible position of hating the regime, but hating themselves as much for outwardly having to be seen to support it just to survive.

"No matter how strong your character is, having to live like that eventually destroys your morale and self-esteem."

British Harrier jets have nonetheless been at the forefront of the 10-day-old war to oust Saddam from power, pounding Iraqi positions in Baghdad and providing air support for US and British ground troops.

But the Iraqi air force, in disrepair even before the war started, has not flown any missions.

Under sanctions since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Iraq has found it virtually impossible to find spare parts for its ageing Russian MiGs and French Mirages.

The size of the Iraqi air force is unclear. Independent estimates say Iraq had somewhere between 100 and 300 combat aircraft in service at the start of the war, down from around 750 at the time of the 1991 Gulf war.

The coalition claims to have command over the skies, meeting minimal resistance from Iraqi jets.

But despite his friendship with Iraqi pilots, Harwood warned his forces not to be complacent.

"These pilots are an elite group and considering what they have got they can do very well," he said.

"We must remember that Saddam Hussein has made himself the supreme commander of the air force and it only needs one aircraft armed with weapons of mass destruction to wipe out an awful lot of people."

(ATTENTION: Pool copy )

pool-sct/mc/sd

WAR.WIRE