Personnel at 903 Expeditionary Air Wing have welcomed their 43rd Commanding Officer in a small handover ceremony at RAF Akrotiri.
At the traditional handover event, Wing Commander Eastlake presented the 903 Expeditionary Air Wing patch to his successor, Wing Commander Fawkes after 4 months in the chair delivering air power across the Middle East.
In what has been a busy time for the Expeditionary Air Wing, Wing Commander Eastlake has over seen the roulement of Typhoon squadrons, the successful deployment of aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia while delivering continuous Operation Shader sorties into Iraqi and Syrian airspace. The Wing has also transformed the Air Mobility detachment, which is now operating from a bespoke operations centre, bringing together Air-to-Air Refuelling and Air Transport assets. The first A400M Atlas delivered personnel into Iraq which was a role previously undertaken by the Hercules.
It has been a great pleasure to serve as Commanding Officer 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, in what has been a very rewarding time for the Wing. Thanks to the enthusiastic and operationally focused people of 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, and the unwavering support of RAF Akrotiri’s personnel, we have provided Airpower on numerous operations and exercises alongside our coalition and regional partners across the broader Middle East and beyond. It has been an honour to command such a high-quality team of people who have delivered time and time again. I will certainly look back very fondly on this operational detachment and wish Wing Commander Fawkes the very best of luck as the 43rd CO 903 Expeditionary Air Wing.
Wing Commander Eastlake
Wing Commander Fawkes joins the Wing from a Directing Staff tour at the Defence Academy of the UK, having previously commanded 47 Squadron.
The RAF makes a crucial contribution to meeting the Integrated Review’s intent for the UK to ‘play a leading international role in collective security’. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing proudly sits at the vanguard of the RAF’s endeavour, delivering air capabilities to meet UK and coalition objectives across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. The whole team here is acutely aware of this huge responsibility and, as the Commanding Officer, I will ensure we build on the Wing’s long history of operational excellence in support of our nation’s aims.
Wing Commander Fawkes