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JANUARY 2019 SOCIAL MEETING
Dennis Pritchard • 23 March 2021
JANUARY 2019 SOCIAL MEETING
Despite the threat of ice and snow, the first social meeting for 2019 was surprisingly well attended, as it was an opportunity for the members to meet and greet Group Captain Chris Moon, RAF Valley’s new Station Commander and VAS Honorary President.
As guest speaker, his past experiences were to soon enthral us all. Having graduated from RAF Valley and progressed onto the Harrier GR 7; he soon found himself over Iraq at night during Operational Telic; supporting special operations' boots on the ground, who were trying to locate and destroy Scud missiles.
This then led to Joint Force Harrier, whereby the RAF Harriers would be integrated with the Royal Navy’s Sea Harriers; which saw him being deployed aboard HMS Illustrious. He was to remark that with a total of 11 jets on deck, space on Lusty could be at a premium!
His next assignment would be to RAF Valley as an instructor with No 19 Squadron, before his first introduction to the Eurofighter Typhoon at BAE Warton during its early development.
As the Typhoon was to progress from simply being an air defence fighter, Group Captain Moon could not emphasise how the aircraft has since developed into the very potent FGR Mk 4, which is now to take over the role of the Tornado GR Mk 4, as well as being available for air defence. He was to explain that it is now capable of carrying all of the Tonka’s weapons and capabilities, including the Brimstone and Storm Shadow.
During this progression he had been deeply involved, such as when the jet deployed to the Falklands to replace the Tornado F Mk 3 and in 2011, when he was a flight commander on No 3 Squadron when it participated in Operation Ellamy during the Libyan conflict; quite apart from participating in Exercise Red Flag, as well as tours to the Middle and Far East.
Finally, taking command of No 3 Squadron, (which he claims is the oldest fixed wing squadron in the RAF), one of the highlights of his tenure was to host the Indian Air Force, when it deployed four Su-30 Flankers to RAF Coningsby in 2015.
Following a stint with the MOD as a Strategic Programmer, he was to arrive at RAF Valley, where he took over command of the station on 6 December of last year. The evening was then to conclude, following a £1,000 cheque presentation to Group Captain Moon on behalf of the Station Charities Committee.
Photo 1 – Group Captain Chris Moon, ADC, M.A., B(Eng), RAF. (RAF Valley)
Photo 2 – Joint Force Harrier at sea. (MOD)
Photo 3 – 11 jets aboard HMS Illustrious. (MOD)
Photo 4 – Wing Commander Moon hosts the Indian Air Force. (RAF Coningsby)
Photo 5 – Indian A.F. Su-30 Flanker accompanied by No 3 Squadron Typhoon. (RAF Coningsby)
Photo 6 – Multi role Typhoon FGR Mk 4. (SAC Cathy Sharples, RAF)
Photo 7 – The finance team and vice-chairman, Ron Williams present a £1,000 cheque to Grp Cpt Moon on behalf of the RAF Valley Station Charities Committee. (John Davies)
THE AUSTRALIAN CONNECTION
THE USAF AND ITS 75 YEARS’ ASSOCIATION WITH ROYAL AIR FORCE VALLEY
RAF VALLEY FLYING TRAINING ACCIDENTS
HAWK T.1 COLOURS AT RAF VALLEY
THE EARLY POST WAR YEARS AT RAF VALLEY
LEST WE FORGET
350 SQUADRON CELEBRATES ITS EIGHTIETH
BATTLE OF BRITAIN SUNDAY
PRESENTATION OF THE VALLEY AVIATION SOCIETY TROPHY
RAF Valley families Day 2021