The Ministry of Defence confirmed today that Senior Aircraftman Graham Livingstone, 23, of the Royal Air Force Regiment and Senior Aircraftman Gary Thompson, 51, of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment died on Sunday when their vehicle was caught in an explosion.

The support weapons flight of 3 Squadron RAF Regiment was undertaking a patrol to protect Nato's Kandahar Airfield from enemy attack in the Daman District of Kandahar Province when the explosion happened at about 6.50pm local time.

Both were taken to the field hospital at Kandahar Airfield, but died as a result of their wounds.

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Both men had been deployed to Afghanistan as part of a 163-strong contingent from Wittering.

SAC Livingstone, who was known as Livi, was originally from Glasgow. He initially joined the Royal Marines for a short period in 2003, before joining the Royal Air Force in October 2004.

After completing his basic training he became a trainee gunner in December 2004. He was posted on to 3 Squadron RAF Regiment at Aldergrove in March 2005, and moved with the squadron to RAF Wittering in the spring of 2007. He was promoted to Senior Aircraftman in October 2005 and while with 3 Squadron he served on Operation TELIC in 2006 and deployed to Afghanistan on February 22 this year. He has a son, Kyle.

SAC Livingstone's mother, Rosemary O'Neil, said: "Graham was a much loved father, son and brother. He died doing a job he loved. As a family we are very proud and he will be sadly missed."

SAC Thompson, was a member of No 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, which is based at RAF Cottesmore and had been attached to 3 Squadron from RAF Wittering.

SAC Thompson known as Tommo, joined the Royal Air Force in November 1973 as a supplier and left the service in October 1977 to pursue a civilian career.

He joined No 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force in March 2005. After completing his basic gunner course in May 2006 he was given the badge of an RAF Regiment Gunner. He went on to complete a mortar cadre course with 3 Squadron RAF Regiment in February 2007 and was mobilised in October 2007, where he was assigned to support weapons flight.

He was promoted to Senior Aircraftsman in March this year and was also deployed to Kandahar Air Field with 3 Squadron, RAF Regiment on February 22.

In civilian life, SAC Thompson was managing director of Sherwood Ducting, in Nottingham. He leaves behind his wife Jacqui and their five daughters, Laurie, 24, Aimee, 22, Jordan, 20, Jade, 17 and Kelly, 16.

In an interview before he left for Afghanistan, he said: "I have five daughters, three of whom are at university.

"I want women in Afghanistan to be given the same opportunity that my daughters have had. It means I can come back and say I have played my part in trying to make that happen."

In a statement his family said: "A devoted husband, father, son and brother who touched the lives of everyone who knew him, Gary was more than our hero, he was the rock and foundation of our family.

"Words cannot express how much he was loved and how proud of him we are. Gary, you have had our hearts from the beginning and now they are yours forever."

Two other servicemen were injured in the blast but their injuries are not life threatening and one has subsequently returned to duty.