IX (B) Squadron
Officer Commanding IX (B) Squadron
Wing Commander Nick Hay MA RAF

Post his initial infant, primary and senior education in Bognor Regis, Wing Commander Nick Hay completed his school years at Brighton College before joining the RAF in 1988.  During his flying career, Nick has served on 3 front-line Tornado GR1/GR4 squadrons (Nos 617, IX and XIII Sqns), amassed over 2500 Tornado flying hours, flown over 100 operational sorties in the skies over Iraq and in 1994, was nominated as the best instructor student on No 25 Tornado Qualified Weapons Instructor Course.  Nick also served on the Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit at Boscombe Down where he was involved in the Operational Evaluation of the Tornado GR4 prior to its acceptance into service; this tour included the evaluation of associated GR1/4 weapons and electronic warfare capabilities. 

As a Squadron Leader, Nick performed instructional and staff duties on the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) in Florennes, Belgium where he executed the role of Chief Air-to-Ground Instructor for the TLP flying course.  In 2004/5, he attended Advanced Command and Staff Course (ACSC) No 8 at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, during which he was promoted to Wing Commander and gained an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London. 

In Aug 05, Nick was posted to MOD to fulfil the role of SO1 Future Combat Air Capability in the Directorate of Equipment Capability (Deep Target Attack); he was responsible for ensuring coherence between the current and future plans for UK combat air platforms and offensive air-to-surface weapons.  Post MOD, Nick spent 5-months as the Deputy Director of the Strategy Division at the Combined Air & Space Operations Centre, Al Udeid, Qatar where he served alongside US personnel and was responsible for the long-term planning of air operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.  Upon his return to the UK, Nick completed a short period of pre-employment training in preparation for taking command of IX(B) Sqn on 3 October 2008.

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