( CNN ) -- July is on track to be the deadliest month yet for British troops supporting Operation Enduring Freedom . Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup says the sacrifices of British forces are worth it . So far , 15 British servicemen have died in Afghanistan this month , mostly in connection with Operation Panther 's Claw , the British-led offensive in Helmand province that is mirroring a similar operation by U.S. Marines in the same area . Britain 's deadliest month in Afghanistan so far has been September 2006 , when 19 died -- 14 in a single incident , the crash of a Royal Air Force plane near Kandahar . The sudden spike in British deaths has triggered an outcry in the United Kingdom over the mission there and whether it will be successful . `` Every casualty is sad , every casualty is deeply felt by us in the military . I mean , they are part of our military family . The losses , of course , are felt most by the real families of those involved and the bereavement is terrible , '' Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup , the chief of defense staff for Great Britain , told CNN in an exclusive interview . But earlier , he pointed out , at the same time the 15 British troops had been killed , at least 197 Taliban forces had been confirmed killed in fighting . Watch questions being asked about the sacrifices » . `` These casualties are pretty one-sided . Sad though our losses are , they are very small compared to the losses that the enemy is taking , '' he said in an interview at the British Embassy . Stirrup , whose position is equivalent to Adm. Michael Mullen , the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff , said the government wants people to know that the sacrifices are worth it . `` This is a military operation and on military operations , you engage in fighting . That 's why we have militaries and , sadly , you take casualties . The real issue is , first of all , are we getting something of sufficient strategic benefit to justify the price that our people are paying ? '' he said . `` Secondly , are we doing everything we can to ensure that we achieve that strategic benefit with the minimum possible number of casualties ? And those , I think , are the key arguments in which we have to engage . '' The British military has been criticized for using vehicles that can not withstand the blast of a roadside bomb . Stirrup told CNN that the British troops are conducting missions that forces them out of protective vehicles . `` You ca n't engage with the population of Helmand from inside several inches of steel . You have actually to get out on the ground , '' Stirrup said . `` Our people have to get out there , they have to engage with the population and close with the enemy and that , alas , exposes them to risks and sometimes those risks materialize . Have we got the right equipment ? Well , we have excellent equipment on the ground and our troops will tell you that . '' But Stirrup admits that while the United Kingdom is constantly updating the equipment sent to Afghanistan , the results are delayed . `` It takes time for industry to produce the new equipment . It 's ordered , it 's being delivered , but it 's delivered over time , so it 's always that gap , if you like , between identifying that change requirement and being able to deliver it on the ground , '' Stirrup said . He said there is one British serviceman who wo n't have to worry about the dangers of Afghanistan : Prince William . `` Prince William is second in line to the throne . That produces certain difficulties to his employment in a combat environment , '' he said . `` I 'm not going to say one way or the other what we will do for the future . What I will say is that he is training at the moment to be a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot , which is a tremendously demanding occupation . It 's professionally demanding . It also is at times pretty hazardous , and I think he is going to find that challenge enough and reward enough in the short term . '' The prince 's younger brother , Prince Harry , served in Afghanistan for about 10 weeks until news of his deployment was leaked by a U.S . Web site . He was then pulled out to keep his unit from being targeted specifically aimed at him .
18 servicemen have died this month , compared with 19 in January 2006 . Most deaths attributed to Operation Panther 's Claw in Helmand province . Air Chief Marshal says casualties pale in comparison to the civilian deaths . Sudden death triggers outcry in UK , criticism of tactics used in operations .