A NEW Officer Commanding of the Red Arrows says she is “incredibly proud and excited” to take charge of the team.
Wing Commander Sasha Nash is beginning her first full week as the most senior officer in the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT).
In this role, she commands the entire 150-strong unit, including air and ground crew, and succeeds Wg Cdr Adam Collins, who has just completed a hugely successful three-year tour.
The Officer Commanding (OC) has responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the Red Arrows, from safety and displays to engineering and engagement.
Wg Cdr Nash, who joined the Royal Air Force in 2005, said: “This is a career opportunity of a lifetime – if someone had told me, 20 years ago, that one day I’d be Officer Commanding of the Red Arrows, I don’t think I would have believed it.
“This is a team of dedicated, diligent and enthusiastic people – exemplifying the ethos and values found in units right across the RAF – and I’m excited to work with them to continue to deliver the levels of excellence the Red Arrows are globally renowned for.”
Originally from Surrey, Wg Cdr Nash is an experienced fast-jet pilot and flew the RAF’s Tornado GR4 on the frontline and in exercises worldwide.
Prior to becoming OC RAFAT, she was Chief of Staff in the Display Wing Headquarters, working alongside the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Red Arrows.
Wg Cdr Nash said attending airshows had sparked a very early interest in aviation and to pursue a flying career.
She said: “I was a six-year-old little girl when I decided to join the Royal Air Force and to fly fast-jets – inspired by airshows and seeing the speed and excitement of aircraft displaying at those events.
“That ambition stayed with me throughout school, where I achieved a sixth form scholarship and subsequent university bursary to join the RAF.
“Two decades later, I am still thoroughly enjoying everything I do and seizing all of the opportunities and experiences a career in the Armed Forces provides.”
Wing Commander Sasha Nash
OC RAFAT
“I’m incredibly proud and excited to now, as OC RAFAT, be commanding a team whose aim is to represent the UK and help inspire future generations of aviators from all backgrounds.”
Wg Cdr Nash added: “This is a great time to be joining the Red Arrows, as we prepare for a busy season and plan for the future.
“I can’t wait to work alongside team members and have the opportunity to meet people at airshows and events this year.”
Training for the new season is already underway and is managed by Red 1 – the pilot who leads the team in the air and designs the aerobatic show. The first public events of the summer are usually staged in late-May or early-June.
Paying tribute to her predecessor, Wg Cdr Nash said: “I’ve worked alongside Adam over the last couple of years and witnessed, firsthand, his utter dedication to both the team and the RAF as well as his immense wealth of display knowledge and commitment to all that the Red Arrows represent.
“He has earned deep respect from those in the team and the wider display community, across the UK and far beyond.
“I know we all would like to congratulate him on such a successful time with the Red Arrows, an exemplary RAF career and wish him the very best for the future.”
Wg Cdr Collins has spent seven years with the team, across two periods – first as Red 10, the safety supervisor and ground-based commentator heard by crowds at airshows around the world.
He then returned for the 2023 season in command as OC RAFAT.
This second tour featured the Red Arrows’ landmark 60th diamond anniversary season, in 2024, and a high-profile tour to Canada in the same year.
Wg Cdr Collins, also a former frontline Tornado pilot, said: “Despite having had many amazing experiences flying a red jet all around the world, taking part in some incredible events and meeting everyone from young aviation enthusiasts to royalty, the highlight of my time on the team is working with the most professional, dedicated and hardworking people in my career.
“The challenges of maintaining and operating the Red Arrows’ Hawk T1 are very different from that of an F-35 or an A400. Whether we are training or displaying for the public, we are routinely launching nine or more aircraft simultaneously, three or four times per day, often away from our home base.
“From pilots to engineers and the many support roles on the team, everyone goes the extra mile to ensure that as many of the public as possible are able to be entertained and inspired by both watching our displays and flypasts and engaging with our personnel on the ground.”
He added: “As I hand over command to Sasha, I would like to wish her all the very best for the future and am confident that under her leadership, the Red Arrows will continue to demonstrate our recipe of precision, excellence and teamwork across the globe. Eclat.”
Read more about Wing Commander Sasha Nash's RAF career here.
