Defence secretary Geoff Hoon will this week announce an RAF deployment to the Gulf.

To date no air commitment has been made despite expectations that any conflict against Iraq will open with a spectacular airborne attack.

His announcement comes as the Pentagon released details of the first phase of the looming war against Saddam Hussein.

The United States is said to be planning a massive missile attack on Iraq which will see air defences, political and military headquarters and communication facilities struck in the first 48 hours of the expected war, Pentagon officials have revealed.

In the first two days up to 3000 missiles and bombs will be fired - 10 times the number launched at the start of the 1991 Gulf War.

Hoon will say that the RAF will triple the number of planes it has stationed in the Gulf.

Britain has already committed 30,000 troops to the region and has announced plans to call up 6000 reservists.

The US is said to require Britain's reconnaissance capabilities.

In a separate move Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac will on Tuesday announce ambitious European defence plans.

The two leaders meet for a bilateral summit in Le Touquet.

Reports suggest the agreement will focus on establishing flexible military capabilities, with a "solidarity clause" for any member state threatened by a terrorist attack.