Drunken troops appeared to sexually assault a young airman in a vile initiation rite caught on video.

Reminiscent of abuse suffered by Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison, footage of the shocking incident was obtained by the Daily Mail.

It shows a naked airman being held down by rowdy, inebriated troops before they allegedly assault him. A criminal investigation is now under way.

RAF police investigators will decide whether the airman was forced to go through the grotesque ordeal.

The Air Force insisted it did not tolerate bullying or initiation rituals. But military experts fear the video will cause huge damage to the reputation of the RAF and the Armed Forces generally.

Defence chiefs are said to be furious because they have worked to stamp out bullying and ensure that initiation ceremonies, once a staple of military life, were no longer tolerated.

The incident took place recently in the UK at the end of a course in which RAF Regiment personnel were taught to fire mortars.

The regiment, whose headquarters are at RAF Honington in Suffolk, is responsible for protecting military airfields.

more at dailymail.co.uk