Page 11 - issue08.03.2019
P. 11

Royal Air Force News Friday, March 8, 2019 P11

                                                                                                                                                News



           News Bulletin             NATO DEFENCE TALKS

                                     Typhoon tie-up lifts Anglo-German pact





                                     THE HOME of the RAF’s Typhoon  Force in May this year.
                                     Force at Coningsby is to be twinned   The two ministers met at RAF
                                     with  a German airbase  as United  Brize Norton, recently twinned with
                                     Kingdom  defence  chiefs  reinforce  its German counterpart at Wunsdorf,
                                     military ties across Europe ahead of  for talks on defence cooperation.
                                                                      Mr Williamson said: “The world
      Nights at museum               Brexit.      Secretary  Gavin  may be darker and more dangerous
                                       Defence
                                     Williamson announced the tie-up  than at any time since the fall of the
       YOUTH GROUPS aged 7-15 are    as he met German defence chief  Berlin Wall years ago.
       being offered the chance to set   Ursala Von Der Layen for talks to   “But by strengthening our
       up camp after hours at the RAF   combat the growing cyber threat  partnership with Germany we can
       Museum, Cosford, to sleep among   and policing of Nato airspace across  uphold European security, defend
       the aircraft, tanks and missiles.  Eastern Europe.           the international rules-based order
         The popular ‘Pillows and Pilots’   The Lincolnshire fast jet station  and look forward to brighter skies
       sleepovers take place on April 13   will  be  twinned  with  the German  of peace and prosperity.”
       and May 11, from 6.30pm to 10am   Typhoon base at Laage.       The two nations signed a Joint                                   WHO DARES TWINS: Gavin
       the following day and are suitable   The move comes as the British  Vision Statement on increasing                              Williamson meets German
       for brownies, guides, cubs, scouts   swing role fighters prepare to take  defence cooperation in October last                   counterpart Ursula Von Der Layen
       and cadets. Go to: rafmuseum.  over the role of patrolling the skies  year after agreeing similar terms                         at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
                                                                                                                                       PHOTO: CPL ADAM FLETCHER
       org/cosford for more details.  over Estonia from the German Air  with the French government.
        ‘Just go for it’












                                                                                                                                               ROLE MODEL: AM
                                                                                                                                               Sue Gray, inset,with The
        The UK’s first-ever three-star female officer                                                                                          Queen in 2018

        Air Marshal Sue Gray issues call to women


        serving in the British Armed Forces




        Staff Reporter                                         her important new role leading the Defence Safety
                                                               Authority.
        AIR FORCE  engineering chief Sue Gray has been promoted   “Her promotion is proper recognition of her
        to the rank of Air Marshal to become the most senior female   outstanding contribution to the RAF and Defence, as
        officer in the British Armed Forces.                   an engineer, as a leader and as a superb role model.”
          In a move described as ‘historic’ by defence chiefs, the 56-year-  As the RAF’s most senior engineer Air Marshal Gray
        old will take up the role of Director General of the Defence Safety   is also the Service’s leading advocate for encouraging
        Authority as the British Armed Forces first ever three-star   youngsters to take up science and technology.
        woman commander.                                               She added: “I have a lot of contact with the
          She said: “I am incredibly proud to be the                    younger generation – who never fail to
        most  senior  female  military  officer  in  the                   impress me and fill me with confidence
        British Armed Forces.                                                for the future.
          “Throughout my career I have been                                      “As an Engineer Officer in the Royal
        fortunate to have a job that was more                                   Air Force I am part of a team, who succeed
        of a way of life, working with like-                                     together, I  have been  privileged to  lead
        minded people in an exciting and                                          highly successful teams, military and civil
        rewarding environment.”                                                   service, through some challenging
          Speaking  to  reporters  after                                           situations on operations and back
        being  notified of  her  promotion                                         at home.”
        she added: “I want a legacy that                                             Defence    Secretary
        encourages all women in all services                                       Gavin     Williamson
        to go for it, frankly.”                                                    added: “This is an
          Air Marshal Gray joined the                                             historic   moment
        RAF in 1985 after graduating from                                        as we see the most
        Newcastle Polytechnic and served on                                      senior     female
        Chinook and Puma helicopters before                                    appointment in the
        taking a masters degree in aircraft design.                           British military.
          She worked on the VC10 aircraft and                                  “Air Marshal Gray’s
        served during the height of the first Gulf War,                   career shows that with hard
        returning to the frontline in Iraq during Operation            work, skill and determination,
        Telic in 2003 as as chief helicopter engineer.           gender is no obstacle to achieving the
          She was just the second woman to hold a two-star post within   top ranks in the Armed Forces.
        the British military when she was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal as   “I hope that young girls will look
        Director of Combat Air in 2014, overseeing all new combat aircraft  up to Air Marshal Gray and see that a
        – including the F-35 Lightening.                       career in the Armed Forces will offer
          Chief  of  the Air  Staff  Air Chief Marshal Sir  Stephen  Hillier   them every opportunity to succeed,
        said: “I offer my most sincere personal congratulations to Air  irrespective of their gender and
        Marshal Gray on her promotion and I wish her every success in   background.”
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