It was a spectacular evening last night for our annual industry dinner and we were delighted to welcome so many new as well as longstanding members and distinguished guests from the Whole Force, academia, media and industry. Thank you to AVM Jim Beck for his insightful update on the the future for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and challenges ahead.
We were delighted to present our annual awards. Our first was presented to the Operation INTERSTORM Whole Force Team in recognition of their singular professional excellence in the direct delivery or enabling of Air and Space Power.
Announcing the award, our Secretary James Beldon MBE MPhil(Cantab) MA BSc CDir FRAeS FIoD said: "The delivery of F-16 fighters to the Ukrainian Air Force has understandably grabbed the headlines, but those formidable aircraft can only be effective if their pilots are trained to the highest standards. It is in this vital realm that the Royal Air Force (RAF)’s Number 22 Group - and specifically Number 6 Flying Training School - have collaborated with Babcock - Aviation Sector to deliver first-class Elementary Flying Training to Ukrainian Air Force student pilots."
This Whole Force programme is a ‘no-fail’ programme of national importance, Beldon explained, and required the RAF and Babcock to work in different ways from those established during more than 20 years of flying training collaboration. Together, 22 Group and Babcock have created a new operating model that successfully and quickly injects trained pilots into the Ukrainian fast jet training pipeline, requiring a new approach to planning, and a restructuring of the way in which Babcock’s Grob 115E trainer aircraft are allocated and resourced, yielding improved aircraft availability and student throughput, Beldon said.
The trophy was presented to Group Captain Matt Barker, Officer Commanding of the Royal Air Force (RAF) Number 6 Flying Training School, and David Kistruck Babcock - Aviation Sector Contract Manager for the Light Aircraft Flying Task.
Our second award was presented to Royal Aeronautical Society Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of AEROSPACE magazine, in recognition of his promotion of UK Air and Space Power.
Announcing Tim's award, Beldon said: "Among the Air and Space Power specialist publications, there are few writers who command a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of aerospace, ranging from innovative technologies, to international and domestic aviation policies, to satellite systems and military and civil aviation in all their forms. There are even fewer aerospace experts who are equally adept in linking such aspects together to project an authoritative understanding of the whole. But there is one individual who is not only outstanding in that special regard, but whose articulate courage in advocating for UK air and space power is second to none."
Congratulations to our worthy winners!
