Page 89 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017
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REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 87
  value to the Squadron aircrew and to the other multi-national participants, 100 Squadron is regularly the only United King- dom asset deployed, due, in no small part, to wider operational commitments that see the front-line squadrons fully committed. In this capacity, 100 Squadron’s contribution reinforces the wid- er aims of defence policy, demonstrating the United Kingdom’s commitment to such training and we take away a multitude of lessons on multi-national integration. Exercises of particular note have been the NATO Tactical Weapons Meet in Belgium in June and support to the European Union Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course in Sweden, a major multi-national helicopter affiliation exercise in support of German, Austrian and Swedish Forces. As the only dedicated fast jet provider, the exercise would have been cancelled without 100 Squadron support, for which the Royal Air Force and the United Kingdom gained particular thanks. Continued support to the NATO Tactical Leadership Programme in southern Spain reinforced the Squadron’s role and international reputation as a dedicated Red Air Aggressor Squadron, during which it performed a leading role in increas- ingly demanding training scenarios for the Blue Air participants.
Bilateral relations with the French Air Force continued to be strengthened in 2017. A detachment of the 3/8 Cote d’Or Alpha Jet Squadron were hosted at Leeming for two weeks in June, fol- lowed by a deployment of 100 Squadron aircraft and crews to Corsica in September to participate in Exercise SERPENTEX, a French led Close Air Support Exercise.
Beyond its operational training task, 100 Squadron was once again privileged to participate in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birth- day flypast in June. Our participation was neither seen nor heard by the expectant crowds lining The Mall, but 100 Squadron pro- vided the vital airborne weather check information to the event coordinators. This contribution helped ensure that the large and relatively non-manoeuvrable mixed formation elements were
able to form up safely off the Suffolk coast, transit across London and split to their individual bases, confident in the knowledge that weather throughout the route would meet specified mini- mum safety criteria.
May marked the hand-over of command of 100 Squadron. The outgoing Officer Commanding 100 Squadron, Wing Command- er Andy Wright handed over the baton of command to Wing Commander Nick Badel on 25th May. After an extremely suc- cessful tenure, during which the Squadron has been privileged to celebrate its own centenary, it will now fall to Wing Commander Badel to take the Squadron forward into 2018, a momentous year for the Royal Air Force as we look forward to the Centenary as the World’s first independent Air Force.
NB
Officer Commanding 100 Squadron Handover 25th May 2017
 100 Squadron Diamond Nine


























































































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