Grand Master’s Commendation
awarded by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators to
51 SQUADRON RAF
Awarded at the discretion of the Grand Master, HRH The Prince Andrew Duke of York KG GCVO
for an act of valour or outstanding services in the air.
No. 51 Squadron operated the Nimrod R1 and was the sole provider of manned airborne electronic surveillance to the United Kingdom before its withdrawal from service earlier this year. Having operated in direct support of every major UK and coalition military operation since the Nimrod R1 came into service in 1974, the men and women of No. 51 Squadron have become synonymous with the provision of an extraordinary Signals Intelligence product to war-fighters and Theatre Commanders as well as other Government and coalition agencies. From the Cold War through campaigns such as Iraq, Sierra Leone and on to present day Afghanistan, the Nimrod R1 has been a consistent contributor to, virtually every operational landscape for 37 years.
The Nimrod R1 has been present over Afghanistan since the commencement of operations there in 2001 and the contribution of No.51 Squadron throughout has been remarkable. With the advent of ‘Operation Herrick’ in 2006, it was apparent that a capability such as the Nimrod R1 would be pivotal to a successful campaign. A significant equipment upgrade in 2008 meant that the Nimrod R1 product was further enhanced, to the degree whereby today it is acknowledged as the electronic surveillance platform of choice for Coalition Commanders in theatre.
The Nimrod R1 deployed in support of ‘Operation Herrick’ for the final time in early May 2010. This last deployment became the longest continuous deployment in the Squadron's history; flying 159 operational sorties and 1,177 flying hours. The enduring nature of this commitment provided considerable engineering, logistic, operational and personnel challenges, all of which were met with alacrity by the air and ground crews. Without doubt, this gold standard capability has been missed since its withdrawal from the Afghan theatre of operations at the end of March 2011.
The venerable Nimrod R1 led from the front since 1974. Such is the high esteem in which it was held, before its withdrawal from service, the Nimrod R1 was granted a 90-day extension of service to meet a requirement for contingent operations that no other platform could provide. There could be no more apposite illustration of the value of this aircraft and its crews to UK Defence. The men and women of No.51 Squadron, past and present, can be justifiably proud of their outstanding contribution to operations. Theirs is a monumental and unequalled achievement enduring over almost four decades, and one for which No.51 Squadron is awarded the Grand Master's Commendation.
Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators