An army captain who preferred to remain anonymous said the plan was “optimistic.”

Britain has some 9,500 troops deployed in Afghanistan, where it plans to end its combat role and withdraw the bulk of its soldiers by the end of 2014.

Prince William

Prince William is now qualified to fly Sea King helicopters for search and rescue missions in the Royal Air Force, the ministry also said on Thursday.

Previously, William, who turns 30 in two weeks’ time, was only authorized to co-pilot search and rescue missions for 22 Squadron based in Anglesey in north Wales.

The prince is also known as the Duke of Cambridge or “Flight Lieutenant Wales” within the military but the new qualification does not alter his rank.

“Flight Lieutenant Wales demonstrated the required standards needed for the award of Operation Captaincy,” said Mark Dunlop, the commander of 22 Squadron.

“Operational Captaincy carries the overarching responsibility for the safety of the aircraft, its crew and any casualties...required standards are always set at a very high level.”

William and his wife - formerly known as Kate Middleton - were on show last weekend at a 1,000 vessel flotilla on the River Thames, a star-studded concert in front of Buckingham Palace and a royal procession through London for his grandmother the queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.