The squadron 's official war role was to carry out pre - and post-strike reconnaissance in support of the RAF 's nuclear - armed V - bombers .
The post-strike bomb damage assessment mission was soon abandoned as impracticable in a nuclear war .
The squadron 's official war role was to carry out pre - and post-strike reconnaissance in support of the RAF 's nuclear - armed V - bombers , although the post-strike bomb damage assessment mission was soon abandoned as impracticable in a nuclear war .