Originally Posted by
pba_target
Orca - not having a dig, but I'd be interested to know how many people in the RAF who have operated a front line aircraft at the present time are NOT combat veterans (if we define "combat" as an operational tour where where some operational effect is delivered, for the sake of our multi-engine brethren.)
As for the reds, I'm pretty confident that all of them have done a det or 6 to a sunny eastern med location or, even better, further east. I stand ready to be corrected though, there's always someone who manages to buck the trend.
One of the criteria for selection is that they must have completed a front line role. By that very point, given the UK’s constant involvement in the Middle East and Asia since 1991 they will have some form of operational experience under their belts. A fair few of the current crop also appear to have a Hawk background beyond being a student, either having a tour as an instructor or on 100 Sqn which probably gives them a greater degree of ‘feel’ and experience for handling the Hawk.
Red Arrows team members