The Chief of the Air Staff has visited key allies and RAF personnel serving in the Middle East and Cyprus to strengthen key relationships with the UK’s regional allies and coalition partners.
The visit by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, KCB, CBE included stop offs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, as well as visiting the deployed 83 Expeditionary Air Group and 903 Expeditionary Air Wing to met RAF personnel conducting operations in the fight against Daesh, as part of Operation Shader.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ACM Wigston held discussions with the Commander of the Royal Saudi Arabian Defence Force to reinforce the UK’s enduring support and commitment to the region. Whilst in Oman the Commander of the Omani Royal Air Force conducted ACM Wigston on a tour of their Military Technological College and in Qatar he toured the Qatar Emiri Air Force, training facilities and met their first female fast jet pilot trainee.
ACM Wigston also visited the US led Coalition’s Combined Air and Space Operations Centre where he saw first-hand the contribution of UK personnel in the ongoing fight against Daesh and was also briefed on current operations by Major General Michael Koscheski USAF, the Deputy Combined Force Air Component Commander who oversees the command and control of air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility.
