Page 5 - issue22.03.2019
P. 5

Royal Air Force News Friday, March 22, 2019 P5

                                                                                                                                                News



       FUNDRAISING                                                                                                                   News bulletin
       Charity bid                                                                                                               Chiefs target

       in a pickle                                                                                                               space threat



       SUPERFIT FUNDRAISERS from
       Northolt hope to scale twice the                                                                                          SENIOR AIR chiefs from the UK
       height of Everest at a London                                                                                             and across Nato will be meeting in
       skyscraper to raise cash for the                                                                                          London later this year for top level
       RAF Benevolent Fund.                                                                                                      talks to counter the growing threat
         Four Air Cartographers will                                                                                             from space-based technologies
       each climb the 837 steps of the                                                                                           and cyber attack.
       iconic Gherkin 25 times – a total of                                                                                        Military leaders from around
       100 ascents or 17,696ms. Everest is                                                                                       the world will join senior
       8,848ms high.                                                                                                             government officials for the
         SAC Perry Wright will be hoping                                                                                         annual Chief of the Air Staff’s Air
       to beat the record he set last year of                                                                                    and Space Power Conference
       50 ascents in 12 hours. He said: “I
       know how gruelling it will be and
       how much it will challenge us.
         “It’s going to take 12 hours to
       complete and if anyone is to beat
       my record they will have to dig
       deep.”
       l Support the RAF Northolt team
       in their challenge by donating at:
       www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
       gherkinchallenge19.


       BALTIC SECURITY
       Typhoons set for Baltic                                                                                                   MILITARY SPACE RACE: Key conference



       beat as Nato slams Putin                                                                                                  speaker ACM Sir Stephen Hillier
                                                                                                                                 at the Institute of Engineering and
                                                                                                                                 Technology, London.
                                                                                                                                   Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen
                                                                                                                                 Hillier will host an ambitious
                                                                                                                                 two-day   programme    which
                                                                                                                                 draws together 450 high-ranking
       Simon Mander                                                                                                              delegates from business, science
                                                                                                                                 and technology.
       VITAL VEHICLES  and supplies                                                                                                Assistant Chief of the Air Staff,
       have arrived in Estonia ahead of                                                                                          Air Vice-Marshal Gerry Mayhew,
       the RAF’s latest mission to protect                                                                                       said: “This will be a unique forum
       Baltic airspace from potential                                                                                            for international air and space-
       Russian aggression.                                                                                                       minded specialists to challenge
         Four RAF Coningsby-based                                                                                                existing thinking, share cutting-
       Typhoons are set to deploy to                                                                                             edge ideas, and explore exciting
       Amari Air Base over the summer                                                                                            possibilities.”
       to conduct Air Policing operations                                                                                          The  conference  will  focus  on
       alongside Nato allies.                                                                                                    emerging threats across a range
         The news comes as the latest                                                                                            of domains and the latest air and
       Nato statement condemned Russia’s                                                                                         space applications, equipment
       illegal annexation of Crimea five                                                                                         and military strategies.
       years ago and its violations of                                                                                             Air   and    Space   Power
       Ukrainian sovereignty.                                                                                                    Association  Chairman    Air
         In Estonia, the jets will back up                                                                                       Commodore     Mark   Roberts
       the already deployed 800-strong                                                                                           said: “This year’s conference is
       British Army Battlegroup equipped                                                                                         now appropriately renamed to
       with Challenger 2 tanks.                                                                                                  reflect the importance of the
         Both operations are a part of the                                                                                       space environment and space-
       UK contribution to Nato Assurance                                                                                         based capabilities for military
       Measures agreed at the 2016                                                                                               operations.”
       Warsaw  summit which ordered                                                                                              l  To  book  a  place visit  the
       four multinational battalion battle                                                                                       Association’s website: https://www.
       groups to countries most at risk of                                                                                       airpower.org.uk/air-space-power-
       attack or invasion.                                                                                                       conference-2019/
         In its latest statement Nato said:
       “Allies are deeply concerned by the                                                                                       Commonwealth
       human rights abuses and violations   INTERCEPTOR: Typhoon shadows                                                         fighters honoured
       being carried out by the Russian de   Russian Coot spy plane in the skies over
       facto authorities in illegally annexed   the Baltic during last UK mission                                                AVM JOHNNY Stringer took the salute
       Crimea   against   Ukrainians,                                                                                            at  a service at  the Commonwealth
       Crimean Tartars and members of  stated  plans  for  further  military  their five-day journey.  clock aircraft refuelling for all the   Memorial Gates where wreaths were
       other local communities.      build-up in the Black Sea region.”  Professional  drivers  from  Typhoon jets.”             laid to commemorate those who fought
         “These   violations  include  Britain heads up the battlegroup  Wittering-based 2 MT Sqn were   RAF  Wittering  Station  in both world wars.
       extrajudicial killings, abductions,  in Estonia with three others in  tasked with getting the RAF vehicles  Commander,  Gp  Cap  Tony  This year’s service focused on paying
       enforced disappearances, violence,  Latvia, Lithuania and Poland led by  from the UK to their new home  Keeling said: “Nato is at the core of   respect to Commonwealth citizens who
       arbitrary detentions, arrest and  Canada, Germany and the United   Flt Lt James Eyles, from the  everything that we do and it’s really   served in the Royal Flying Corps and the
       torture.”                     States.                        Cambridgeshire-based  squadron  important that we play an active   RAF during World War I and II.
         It added: “We condemn Russia’s   The vehicles, including aircraft tugs,  said: “Once the operation is up and  part in that contribution.   Since being opened in 2002, a
       ongoing and wide-ranging military  fuel bowsers and 600 tonnes of spares,  running, a small team will remain   “It’s all about protecting the   wreath laying ceremony has taken
       build-up in Crimea and are  boarded the cargo ship MV Eddystone  to manage a fleet of more than 30  airspace in Eastern Europe and   place at the Gates on Commonwealth
       concerned by Russia’s efforts and  at the Army’s Sea Mounting Centre for  vehicles and provide around the  deterring potential aggressors.”   Day each year.
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