Air Commodore Howard Edwards

As Combat Air Force Commander Air Cdre Edwards is responsible for the delivery and output of the UK F-35 Force, the Typhoon Force, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Air Cdre Howie Edwards joined the RAF through an RAF Sixth Form and Flying Scholarship directly from school. He converted to the Tornado GR1 at the Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment at RAF Cottesmore in 1995 before advancing to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit at RAF Lossiemouth in 1996. His first operational tour was with IX(B) Squadron at RAF Brüggen in the Strike/Attack and SEAD roles; this tour concluded in 1999 after his involvement in OP ENGADINE as part of the Kosovo Air Campaign.

Posted to XV(R) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth he served as an Operational Conversion Unit Instructor prior to his completion of the Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI) Course. In 2001 he began a tour on 12(B) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth as the QWI pilot during which he conducted missions from Al Udeid AB as part of the UK Air Component during Op TELIC in March 2003.

Promoted to squadron leader in January 2004, he returned to XV(R) Squadron where he was responsible for Tornado GR4 post-graduate training and latterly as the Executive Officer. His first staff appointment followed as a Personnel Management Desk Officer at RAF Innsworth, responsible for the postings and career management of all RAF fast jet junior officer pilots.

Promoted to wing commander in 2008 he oversaw policy, postings and career management of all RAF aircrew below the rank of Squadron Leader until his move to Canberra, Australia, to attend the Advanced Staff and Command Course (Joint) with the Australian Defence Force. He graduated from the Course in December 2009 achieving a Grad Dip in Defence Studies and was awarded the Chief of Air Force Prize. On return from Australia, Air Cdre Edwards assumed command of XIII Squadron (Tornado GR4) at RAF Marham in December 2009 during which he deployed with his squadron to Afghanistan in support of Op HERRICK and led the early long range Storm Shadow missions over Libya in 2011.

On disbandment of XIII Sqn, Air Cdre Edwards served as PSO to the Chief of the Air Staff (ACM Sir Stephen Dalton) after which he completed 6 months in the CENTCOM 609th CAOC, Al Udeid, as Dep Hd of the Strategy Division. On return from this tour Gp Capt Edwards filled the post of Combat Air Strategist within the Air Staff, MOD London, prior to promotion to Gp Capt in 2015 and his subsequent tour in Al Udeid as a Coalition CAOC Battle Director. This OOA tour was followed by 20 months in NATO at the AIRCOM CAOC in Uedem, Germany, where he served as Div Hd Trg & Ex and as the UK SNR.

Returning to the UK, Air Cdre Edwards took command of No 6FTS which delivers the RAF’s 15 University Air Squadrons and Air Cadet Air Experience Flying. This was followed by a tour as Typhoon Dep Force Commander from which he was promoted to Air Cdre and became the CAFC in Jan 2023.

Air Cdre Edwards has flown over 3500 hours on fast jets, including over 2000 hours on the Tornado GR1/4, and has flown more than 100 combat missions over a multitude of operational theatres.

Air Commodore Rob Caine

Rob joined the RAF in 1994 and became an operational pilot on the Tornado in 1999 on 14 Sqn at RAF Bruggen, Germany. Since then he has served several operational tours, and became an experienced Tornado Instructor, Rear Seat Captain, Electronic Warfare Instructor and an Instrument Rating Examiner at RAF Lossiemouth. In 2005 he became a Tactics and Weapons Instructor and an Aircrew Instructor Coach at 19 Sqn on Hawk T1 and subsequently became a Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI). He became an A2 (Advanced) Qualified Flying Instructor and the Chief Weapons Instructor at RAF Valley where he ran 3 staff QWI Courses before being selected as a Project Pilot for the introduction of Hawk T2 into military service.

He is experienced at leading and innovating, managing risk and developing complex organisations. In staff tours he was a Requirements Manager for Fixed Wing aircraft and worked in the MOD on Air Systems. He was Head of Requirements for the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS), working for Air Capability. In command roles he became the Executive Officer on IV(R) Sqn, flying the innovative Hawk T2, where he was an A2 QFI and was responsible for all live and synthetic staff training and standards from first fast jet flight to beyond visual range, swing role missions. He subsequently became OC IV(AC) Sqn in 2019, responsible for the Tactics and Weapons training of all RAF and RN Fighter Pilots - a course that constitutes the final test before pilots qualify to fly the Typhoon or F35 on the front-line.

On Ops he has served as an A3 Operational specialist in the Command Air Operations Centre in Al Udeid, and 83 Expeditionary Air Group, where he helped command and control air operations in Afghanistan on Op HERRICK in 2013-14. He was also COS Ops and National Approval Authority across the Middle East in 2020 where he was in operational charge of coordinating all UK Force Elements on Op SHADER. More recently Rob was Director of Ops in 11 Group (Gp), responsible for the integration of AIR effects across RAF Operations on behalf of Air Officer 11 Gp, the Global Air Component Commander. This included managing Air’s contribution to COVID responses, Op RESCRIPT, the G7 and COP26, Op FORTIS the Global Carrier Deployment, Op PITTING the complex recovery from Afghanistan, Op PROWLING the F35 crash recovery from the Mediterranean and support to Ukraine. He took command of 6 Flying Training School as Commandant on 4 February 2022, responsible for the 15 University Air Squadrons and 13 embedded Air Experience Flights across 13 Main Operating Bases in the UK delivering Phase 1 Officer trg and Phase 2 Flying Trg from Elementary and Fast Jet Lead-In to Mission Aircrew to, more recently Op INTERSTROM International Defence Trg with NATO partners. He has now been appointed as the Head of UK Military Flying Training (HFT) and is passionate about ensuring we train our future war fighters to fly, fight and win.

He now has over 2500 fast jet hours and is CFS accredited. He was awarded an MBE in 2015 for his services to Military Flying Training in the New Year’s Honours List and was awarded the 2019 Master’s Medal from the Guild of Air Pilots for innovation. He is a graduate of the Joint Services Higher Command and Staff Course and has an MA from Kings College London.

In his free time Rob supports his family as they horse ride, play football or enjoy walking their black lab. Rob is also a dedicated mentor and coach focusing on leadership, high performance and psychology, whether in sport, equine competition or military aviation. He also supports charities like RAFA, and the Dove (Bereavement) Service and is a Trustee of the “Bear Force” Children’s Charity linked to better mental health and suicide prevention

Air Commodore Sam Sansome

Air Cdre Sam Sansome joined the RAF in 1986 as a University Cadet. After 3 years at Loughborough University studying Engineering Science and Technology he attended RAF College Cranwell for Initial Officer Training – graduating in March 1990.
Following Engineering Officer Training, his first tour was as JEngO XV Sqn on Tornado GR1 ac at RAF Laarbruch. After tours at RAF Lossiemouth (Buccaneer, Hunter and Tornado), RAF Strike Command (Tornado Role Office) and RAF Wyton (Harrier Fleet Manager) and an operational detachment to Riyadh, he was promoted to Sqn Ldr in Nov 1998 and appointed as the structural Engineering Authority for all marks of Tornado aircraft.
In 2001 he took up the post of OC Aircraft Engineering Squadron at RAF Benson, working on Puma and Merlin helicopters, where he also acted as OC Engineering and Supply Wing for a 7 month period during Op TELIC. On completion of his command tour he moved to the Personnel Management Agency where he was the Desk Officer for Squadron Leader Engineers.
In Jul 2004 he was selected for Staff College, but opted instead to attend Henley Management College graduating with an Executive Full-time MBA. He was promoted to Wing Commander during the MBA course and posted to a future capability post in Headquarters 2 Group in September 2005 where he had logistics and engineering responsibility for all 2 Group future platforms, both ISTAR and AT/AAR and including the REAPER UAV, A400M and Shadow R1.
In June 2008 he was posted to RAF Brize Norton as OC Forward Support Wing. Following his command tour he became the Command Planner at PJHQ at Northwood, managing the transition of its planning functions to Joint Forces Command. After a further spell as a Manning Desk Officer, this time for wing commander engineers and suppliers, he was promoted in 2012 and took up appointment at DE&S Abbey Wood as Team Leader of Chief of Materiel Joint Enablers’ Customer Support Team. On 27 Jun 2016 he returned to Air Command and to 2 Gp, this time as Chief Air Engineer and Gp Capt Support. On 1 March 2021 he transferred to the RAF Reserves on promotion to Air Cdre and took up post as Inspector of Safety RAF – the first non-aircrew officer to lead the RAF Safety Centre.
Air Cdre Sansome is married to Louise and has 2 children, Millie and Thomas. His family home is in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. He is a qualified swimming official and until recently was Chairman of Wycombe District Swimming Club, one of the top swimming teams in the country.

Brigadier General Armin Havenith

 Brigadier General Havenith joined the German Navy in July 1987.
He is a command pilot with more than 2,300 flying hours in
various types of aircraft, 2000+ in TORNADO.

ASSIGNMENTS

1987 – 1988 Student German Naval Academy, Muerwik / Cadet Training Ship “Deutschland” as Officer-Training Candidate Flying Branch
1988 – 1989 Watch Officer on the Minehunter “Minden”
08/1989 – 05/1990 Flying Aptitude Assessment and Initial Instruction German Air Force Officer School, Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany
06/1990 – 07/1991 UPT ENJJPT, Sheppard AFB, Texas, USA
08/1991 – 05/1992 Europeanization on Alpha-Jet at Fighter Bomber Wing 49, Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany
06/1992 – 09/1992 Weapon Systems Training TORNADO, Cottesmore, UK
10/1992 – 03/1993 Tactical Training at Fighter Bomber Wing 38 “F” in Jever, Germany
04/1993 Transfer from German Navy to German Air Force
04/1993 – 09/1998 Fighter Pilot at Fighter Bomber Wing 31 “Boelcke” in Noervenich, Germany, with time spent as Aide-de-Camp and Senior Operations Officer
10/1998 – 09/1999 Senior Operations Staff Officer, 2nd Squadron at Fighter Bomber Wing 31 “B”
10/1999 – 09/2001 General/Flag Officers Course, Bundeswehr Command and Staff College, Hamburg, Germany
10/2001 – 11/2003 Squadron Commander, 2nd Squadron at Fighter Bomber Wing 33, Buechel, Germany
12/2003 – 09/2004 Section Chief, 2nd (DEU) Air Division, Birkenfeld, Germany
10/2004 – 09/2005 Division Chief, 2nd (DEU) Air Division, Birkenfeld, Germany
10/2005 – 02/2008 Assistant Branch Chief, International Plans and Policy Branch, Air Force Staff, Ministry of Defense, Bonn, Germany
03/2008 – 02/2011 Senior Operations Officer J5 Policy & Concepts Implementation and Deputy Branch Head, NATO Allied Joint Force Command HQ, Brunssum, The Netherlands
- 02/2009 Attended NATO Senior Officers Policy Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
- 09 - 12/2009 Deployed to CJ5 Plans & Policy HQ ISAF, Afghanistan
03/2011 – 09/2011 Section Chief, Doctrine and Concepts, German Air Force Command, Cologne, Germany
- 05/2011 Command Training Course, German Air Force Officer School, Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany
10/2011 – 06/2012 Retraining TORNADO and TORNADO Instructor Course, German Air Force Flying Training Center, Holloman AFB, NM, USA
07/2012 – 09/2015 Commander, German Air Force Flying Training Center, Holloman AFB, NM, USA
10/2015 – 02/2016 German Air Force Forces Command, Flying Operations Directorate, Branch Chief Plans and Policy, Cologne, Germany
03/2016 – 12/2017 Assistant Chief of Staff Air Force Operations, German Air Force Headquarters Division 2 II, Berlin, Germany
01/2018 – 02/2020 Chief J 3/7/9 Division, Special Operational Tasks, Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command, Potsdam, Germany
03/2020 – 08/2022 Branch Chief, Forces Policy I 5, Federal Ministry of Defence, Bonn, Germany
09/2022 – 08/2023 Member Royal College of Defense Studies (RCDS),
Global Strategic Program 2023, London, United Kingdom
09/2023 – 06/2024 Director of Education and Deputy Commander Bundeswehr Command and Staff College, Hamburg, Germany
07/2024 – today Director Flight Safety Branch, German Military Aviation Authority, Cologne, Germany

Brigadier General Jonathan Bryom

Brigadier General Jonathan Byrom, a native of Galion, Ohio, received his commission as an Armor Officer following graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1995. After completing the Armor Officer Basic Course, he began his military career as a Division Cavalry Tank and Scout Platoon Leader and Cavalry Troop Executive Officer with 1-1 Cavalry in Büdingen, Germany.

Brigadier General Byrom then commanded A Troop and Headquarters and Headquarters Troop in 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California. Following his time in command, he taught economics at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Upon completion of intermediate-level education in 2008, Brigadier General Byrom was assigned to Grafenwoehr, Germany, where he served as the Battalion S3 and Brigade Executive Officer for the 172nd Infantry Brigade until 2010. After his time in Germany, he became a Senior Instructor for the Army Joint Support Team in Las Vegas, Nevada,
before being assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he assumed command of 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment in November 2011.Upon completion of Squadron Command, Brigadier General Byrom then moved to Fort Knox, Kentucky, in July 2013, where he served as the Armor Branch Chief at Human Resources Command.

In July 2015, Brigadier General Byrom arrived at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he became the 1st Infantry Division G3 until 2017. He then returned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he commanded the 3rd Cavalry Regiment from July 2017 until June 2019. He transitioned to the First Cavalry Division Chief of Staff in June 2019 until March 2020. Brigadier General Byrom transitioned to the Pentagon, where he served as the Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Army until July 2021. He served as the Commander for the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force in Wiesbaden, Germany, before assuming command of the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center in June 2023.

Jon is married to his much better half, Marsha. They have three young children who keep life very interesting

Captain Mike Hoskins

 Capt. Hoskins is a native of Chesapeake, Virginia. He completed his undergraduate education from the College of William & Mary in 1998. He earned his commission through Officer Candidate School in 1999, and a Master’s degree in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego in 2006.
He commanded Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 in support of U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleet operations, where he was a plankowner at the command from a prior tour. Other sea duty assignments include Chief of Staff for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 2, HSC-22, HSC-26, and USS Bataan (LHD 5).
Ashore, he served as an MH-60S Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor at HSC-3, and as a Branch Head Deputy for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. His joint assignments include Joint Enabling Capabilities Command where he was a joint aerospace planner, and the Joint Forces Staff College as military faculty.
He is currently the Director, Aviation Programs at the Naval Safety Command.
He is a qualified naval aviator and has flown more than 2,600 hours in fixed and rotary wing aircraft. His awards and decorations include the 2007 Naval Helicopter Association Pilot of the Year (2007), Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Meritorious Service Medal (2), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2), and various campaign and unit awards

Colonel Gianluigi Colucci

 Col. Gianluigi COLUCCI was born in Rome on 27 October 1978, he joined the Italian Air Force Academy in 1998.

He graduated military pilot at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training School (ENJJPT) of SHEPPARD AFB in July 2004, then he was assigned to the 51st Wing of Istrana Air Base in the 132nd Fighter Bomber Squadron on AMX aircraft.

In July 2012, he was assigned to the 32nd Wing of Amendola Air Base in the 101st Squadron (the Italian Operational Conversion Unit for the AMX fighter) as an instructor.

In April 2014 he was sent to Grosseto to attend the operational conversion course on the Eurofighter aircraft (F-2000) and in December 2014 he was moved to the 37th Wing of Trapani Air Base, and assigned to the 18th Fighter Squadron.
From 2015 to 2017 in the Eurofighter community he was in charge for the conversion of pilots into the multi-role capability.
From January 2018 to September 2020, he became the Commander of the 18th Squadron.

In his operational life, between 2010 and 2013 he participated several times in the ISAF operation (Afghanistan) and in the Unified Protector operation (Libya), carrying out more than 100 Operational missions with the AMX (Close Air support, Recce, Air Interdiction and Time Sensitive Target missions).
In 2018 he was Commander of the Task Group TYPHOON in Iceland during the NATO Air Policing operation "Northern Stork".
In 2019 he was the commander of the same Task Group, at the Al-Jaber base (Kuwait), for the operation "Inherent resolve/Prima Parthica", while flying recce missions over the skies of Iraq.

After attending the advanced course of Joint Forces Staff College in Rome, in 2022 he was assigned to the Flight Safety Inspectorate. From January 2023 he became Chief of investigation office.

He flew more than 3000 flight hours, of which 1100 on Eurofighter and 1400 on AMX. Of these flight hours, more than 300 were carried out in operational theatres in crisis areas.

Colonel Jesse S. Doyle

 Colonel Jesse S. Doyle is the Director of Safety, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
Colonel Doyle received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Florida, with a degree in Business Administration. He attended Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus AFB, MS. He is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.
Colonel Doyle has served as an instructor pilot in both Air Education and Training Command and United States Air Forces in Europe, commanded at the squadron level, and served on the staff of Air Combat Command. He is a command pilot with over 3,850 flying hours in the T-37 and F-16, including 812 combat hours in Operations ODYSSEY DAWN, ENDURING FREEDOM, and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.

Colonel Jorge Inacio

 Colonel Jorge Inacio joined Portuguese Air Force Academy in 1992 and, after finishing the course, served in the Tactical Air Transport and Search and Rescue Squadrons, flying around 3000 flight hours in the SA-316B Alouette III, SA-330 Puma and EH-101 Merlin.
Served in the Air Command/Plans Branch, Portuguese Military University Institute as Joint Operations Planning teacher and, in the EUMS/Concepts and Capabilities Directorate (CONCAP)/Force and Capability Branch (FORCAP) as action officer and deputy Branch Chief.
Has the Degree (Pre Bologna) in Military Aeronautical Sciences, specialty of Pilot, Course for Promotion to Senior Officer, Joint Staff Course and Postgraduate in Military Sciences, Security and Defence.

Colonel Kim Juhala

 COL Kim Juhala joined the Finnish Defense Forces in 1993 after graduating from the University of Technology Helsinki in Finland with a Master of Science followed by a Licentiate of Technology (i.e. PhD) degree in Aeronautical Engineering. His first duties in the Finnish Air Force at the Air Force Depot included research and development programs. He was promoted as the Chief of Aircraft Technologies Office followed with promotion to the Chief of the F/A-18 Hornet Office in 1998. From 2000-2003 he served as a Liaison Officer for the Finnish Air Force F/A-18 program at the Naval Aviation Depot in San Diego CA, USA. After returning to Finland he served at the Lapland Air Command as the Chief of the Aircraft Maintenance Organization. In 2007-2009 he attended the Senior Staff Officer and General Staff Officer courses at the National Defense University. After graduating in 2009 he was appointed to the Finnish Air Force Headquarters serving as the Deputy Chief of the Armament Section and following a restructuring at the Finnish Air Materiel Command Program Division. 2010-2013 he was assigned as Assistant Defense Attaché to the Finnish Embassy in Washington D.C. focusing on Defense Materiel Programs and Science and Technology Cooperation. In 2013 he returned to the Finnish Air Force Headquarters Logistics Department servings as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Logistics. In 2015 he was appointed to Lapland Air Command commanding the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. In 2018 he was assigned to the Joint Systems Center of the Defense Forces Logistics Command serving as the Chief of the Air Systems Division. In March 2020 he was assigned to his current position as the Director of the National Military Aviation Authority.

Colonel Luis Alberto Martinez Ruiz

After leaving the Academy in July 1993, his first assignment as a lieutenant was to the 15th Wing (Zaragoza Air Base), where he remained until his promotion to Major in 2004. During this period, as an EF18 pilot, he took part in numerous deployments of the Icaro detachment in Aviano (Italy) as part of the operations in the former Yugoslavia, accumulating more than 100 missions in this scenario. At that time, he also participated in various national and international exercises such as the Red Flag in the USA. At this assignment, he was an instructor and flight test pilot. In July 2004, he was promoted to major, transferred to Madrid and assigned to the Operations Division of the Spanish Air Force Staff. In 2005 he was selected to take the Staff Course, after the completion of which, in 2006, he was assigned to the Air Combat Command (Torrejón Air Base). Between 2007 and 2010, he worked as an operational factor’s specialist at the NATO NETMA Agency (Munich, Germany), responsible for the management and development of the Eurofighter Programme. In this position, he was involved in the development of the flight simulator and the integration of the air-to-surface capability. On his return, he was assigned to the Eurofighter Programme Office ( Logistics Support Command). Between 2011 and 2015, he served as Squadron Leader and Group Chief in the 12th Wing (Torrejón Air Base), when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2012. The number of flight hours accumulated in the EF18 is close to 2000. In 2015, he returned to the Eurofighter Programme Office, this time as part of the National Armament Directorate. A year later, in 2016, he was assigned as technical advisor of the Secretary of State for Defence. Since July 2019, with his promotion to colonel, he served at the NATO NETMA Agency as Head of the Executive Secretariat. During this period, he directly supported the Agency's General Manager. He has actively participated in the negotiation and definition of the requirements of the Halcón Project for the acquisition of 20 new Eurofighter aircraft for the Spanish Air Force. Finally, between July 2022 and July 2024, he was assigned to Albacete AB as TLP Commandant.

Colonel Michael Thomas

 Col Mike Thomas is the Deputy Chief of Safety for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. Col Thomas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1997 and was a commissioned a second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He is a master navigator with more than 2,800 flying hours and 260 deployed combat and combat support hours. Col Thomas has deployed in support of Operations Joint Guardian, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Inherent Resolve. He commanded at the squadron, group, and Joint Task Force levels, and he served in staff assignments at Air Force Special Operations Command and Headquarters Air Force. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of Safety for Air Force Special Operations Command.

Command Sergeant Major Jeann P. Alcedo

CSM Jean Pierre Alcedo completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was awarded the Military Occupational Specialty of 13B, Cannon Crewmember.
CSM Alcedo has served in various positions from Advance Party, Section Chief, Gunnery Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, OPS Sergeant Major, Battalion CSM, Division Artillery CSM, Fires Center of Excellence Noncommissioned Officer Academy Commandant and currently the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center CSM. CSM Alcedo’s assignments include the 82nd Airborne Division, All American (All the Way, Airborne); 1st Armored Division (Old Ironsides); Fires Center of Excellence (Fires Strong); 7th Army Training Command; 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade (Sky Soldiers); 18th Field Artillery Brigade (Tough, Proud, Discipline); 210th Field Artillery Brigade; 434th Field Artillery Brigade; and 75th Field Artillery Brigade. He has deployed to Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba, in support of Joint Task Force 160 and Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
CSM Alcedo’s military education includes the Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, Drill Sergeant School, Airborne School, Jumpmaster Course, First Sergeant Course and Class 66 of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. He is also the recipient of the Honorable Ancient Order of Saint Barbara.
CSM Alcedo’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star Medal (2 OLC), the Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), the Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (9 OLC), the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal (8th award), Drill Sergeant Badge, Airborne Badge (Master Parachutist) and the Combat Action Badge.
CSM Alcedo is married to MSG Nina Alcedo, who is serving in Italy.
 

Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Satrapa

 Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Satrapa graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1998. Allocated to Australian Army Aviation, he has held a variety of command, regimental, staff and operational positions.

Lieutenant Colonel Satrapa commenced his regimental time at 5th Aviation Regiment in Townsville where he served as a line pilot and troop commander supporting Australia’s Special Operations Command. During this time, he deployed to East Timor under the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. Following his postings at 5th Aviation Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Satrapa spent two years on exchange with the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division before returning to Australia to commence a posting as the preparedness desk officer in Special Operations Headquarters.

While posted to Special Operations Headquarters, he deployed to Afghanistan as the rotary wing liaison officer to Australia’s Special Forces Task Group. He returned from Afghanistan to a posting at 6th Aviation Regiment in Sydney, where he served as a Black Hawk troop commander, operations officer and executive officer. During this posting, Lieutenant Colonel Satrapa deployed to East Timor as the troop commander of Australia’s Black Hawk detachment, and deployed to Afghanistan as an embedded officer in the US Army’s 159th Combat Aviation Brigade.

Upon returning to Australia, Lieutenant Colonel Satrapa commenced a posting at Headquarters Joint Operations Command where he served in the domestic operations section, and then attended Australian Command and Staff College. Following Staff College, Lieutenant Colonel Satrapa posted to the Australian embassy in Washington, DC as the executive officer to the military attaché before returning to Australian Army Aviation where he has spent the past nine years serving in a variety of staff, capability management and safety roles.

Lieutenant Satrapa is married to Jaime and they have three children; Alannah, Aiden and Peyton. He is passionate about health and safety, and is studying a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, and looking to commence a Master of Environment, Health and Safety in 2025.

Lieutenant Colonel Gian Luca Greco

 Since August 2021 I work at the Italian Air Force Flight Safety Department/Inspectorate and I am responsible for the technical and human factor recommendations for the aviation safety investigations within military and civilian Aircraft Design Organizations and Aircraft Operators. As qualified Flight Safety Officer, Air Accident Investigator and Crew Resource Management Instructor, I have conducted accident and incident investigations on military platforms with a civilian certification basis such as the Leonardo HH-139 helicopter, ATR-72 and -42, the Boeing KC-767A, the Piaggio P-180 and G-550 aircraft and SIAI-260 and -208 trainer aircraft. The activities have been conducted in accordance with the ICAO Annex 13 Standards and Recommended Practices and included the gathering and analysis of information, the drawing of conclusions, the determination of causes and the development of safety recommendations.
In the last thirteen years, on behalf of the Italian Air Force Flight Safety Department, the National Military Procurement and Aviation Authority and the National Prosecutor office, I acted as a technical advisor of the safety investigation Boards for the AleniaAermacchi/Leonardo M346 jet trainer aircraft mishaps. I was fully involved in the investigation phases, liaising with investigation authorities and the aircraft manufacturer and its design organization, recovering the aircraft wreckage, collecting facts related to the investigated occurrences, collecting, reducing, processing and analysing the recovery data, working with a team of industry specialists in multicultural environments to reach justified conclusions and writing the technical reports on the mishap causes and the applicable safety recommendations.
As an expert in safety risk management and human factors engineering, I have supported the Italian Air Force operational squadrons and maintenance organizations to understand the key components and elements of an effective and efficient System Management System (SMS) and to implement an Integrated Management System (IMS), tailored to their type of operations, organisational complexity and needs. I have developed, promoted and implemented a new delivery method to increase the safety promotion activities at the Italian Air Force flight and ground operators’ level through summits and seminars on safety culture, accident/mishaps lessons identified and learned analysing the commonalities between the military world and the National State Safety Program (SSP). Through my experience of Flight Line Manager and Maintenance Engineer at the Italian Air Force maritime patrol aircraft Squadron, I built the ability to manage people, leading teams, and to monitor, map and merge flight activity data, for the purpose of scheduling and supervising the aircraft maintenance; those duties included immediate reactions to safety issues by assessing the relevant collected safety data in order to support the airworthiness authority towards the identification of the appropriate corrective actions.
At the Italian Air Force Flight Test Centre, as Flight Test Engineer graduated at the USAF Test Pilot School – Edwards AFB, I have had also the opportunity collect a broad international experience in multi-national programs as national representative in international boards creating communication links between the government and industrial team of experts and increasing the involvement of the Test Center in the analysis of the flight data collected during the aircraft development and certification phases and the related hazard identification and risk mitigation processes.
My passion for the aviation safety investigations and human factors in complex, technology-intensive systems boosted my target-orientation, resistance, multi-tasking capabilities and resilience, even under pressure. These personal traits make me a recognised, reliable professional, capable to efficiently learn new competences fast, think both analytically and critically, with the ability to decompose and solve complex matters and issues in a very limited timeframe.

Lieutenant Colonel Julie Marek

Lieutenant Colonel Per Hard af Segerstad

 Lt Col Per Hård af Segerstad

1994-96 Navy: Basic Military Training.

1996-2015 Air Force: Pilot, force element leader, sqn deputy in for operations with Fighter Viggen and Multi-Role Gripen.

2015-2017 Mil HQ in Chief of the Air Foce staff: main duties in Flight Safety and the Nordic Defence Coorporation.

2018-2020 National Defence University: Studies with the Higher Military Educational and MaSc in War Studies.

2020-2023 National Defence University: Director Air Departement.

2023- Air Staff: Head of Flight Safety for the Armed Forces / Head of departement.

Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Mesiti

 LtCol. Roberto MESITI was commissioned in 1999 and attended the Italian Air Force Academy, and in 2005 he graduated as a military pilot at Vance AFB (Oklahoma - USA), flying T-37 and T38C jet trainers. Following his first assignment at the 88th Sqn in Sigonella AFB (Italy), he achieved the Pilot Combat Readiness in Maritime Patroller and Anti-Submarine Warfare role on the P-1150A “Atlantic”. He has served in a variety of position at the squadron and wing level, taking part to the Libyan campaign of Unified Protector operation. Then he was assigned to the Squadron 2 of NAEW-CF in Geilenkirchen (Germany) in the role of C2 asset on the E-3A AWACS, then he came back to the 88th Sqn in Sigonella AFB (Italy) in the ISR role on P-72A and presently at the NISRF in Sigonella AFB (Italy) in the ISR role on the RQ-4D.
From 2019 to 2021 he was appointed as 88th Squadron Commander and from 2021 to 2023 he was appointed as 86th Aircrew Training Center Commander.
During his career, he has flown on the following aircraft: SF-260, T-37, T-38C, P-1150A, E-3A, P-72A and RQ-4D, collecting a total of 4800 hrs.
LtCol. Mesiti is married since 2004 with Sara. They have two children: Lorenzo and Luca.

Major Chris Foote

Mr Keith Bethell

Mr (SCS 3*) K H R BETHELL CBE BSc(Hons) MA MSc CEng ChPP FRAeS

Keith Bethell joined the RAF as an Apprentice Engineering Technician at RAF Halton in 1983 and was commissioned into the engineer branch in 1988, serving for 38 years and being promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. During his time in the Service he undertook a variety of roles across fast jet operations in command and staff positions, and in equipment procurement and support.

Positions included station command tours as the first Typhoon Depth Support Manager and Officer
Commanding Depth Support Wing at RAF Coningsby, and on the staff in Headquarters No 1 Group as Group Captain Support and Chief Air Engineer, spanning an eventful 18 months which included Operation ELLAMY over Libya, continued support to Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan and leading the transformation of the Group’s Air Safety Management Systems.

His procurement and support roles included tours in the Nimrod MRA4 Project Team at DPA Abbey Wood and as Group Captain Typhoon Systems Manager and Project Engineer (Type Airworthiness Authority) in the Typhoon Team at DE&S Abbey Wood, where he was responsible for development, modification, safety and airworthiness of the Typhoon weapon system and development and delivery of Typhoon support solutions. As an Air Commodore he was Head Fast Air Support Team in DE&S with responsibility for the Tornado, Typhoon, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Defence Crew Escape Systems projects. This role spanned a period of intense operational deployment of the Tornado and Typhoon forces and the introduction of significant new operational and air safety
capabilities onto both platforms, as well as transformation of their support solutions.

In 2016, he was selected for the role of Director Combat Air in DE&S on promotion to Air Vice-Marshal. He oversaw delivery of many DE&S successes including the arrival of F-35 Lightning II in the UK and its first landing on HMS Queen Elizabeth, major upgrades to Typhoon’s radar, and
delivery of the Combat Air Strategy, setting out the national vision including the next-generation
Tempest jet.

In 2021, on retirement from the RAF he was selected for the position of Director Helicopters in DE&S, where he was responsible for the procurement and support of the UK Defence helicopter portfolio. This role encompassed supporting delivery of the UK’s Rotary Wing Strategy and leading the Rotary Wing Enterprise support transformation programme.

In 2024, he was selected for his current position of Director General Air. This is an interim role focussing on the transition to the new Operating Model, which will see a more modern and improved DE&S, whilst continuing to deliver and support vital programmes and platform to support our Armed Forces in the coming years.

Mr Bethell is married with two sons. He keeps active by following Bath Rugby, training to run the
occasional half-marathon and travelling to support his younger son on the world Para-badminton tournament circuit ahead of representing the Paralympics GB Team in Paris 2024.

Mr Willem-Jan Derks

 Willem-Jan Derks is Business Development Manager - Military Aviation, Defence & Security for Robin Radar Systems. Willem flew as instructor and executive aviation pilot before moving into business development of aviation training services. He later managed international aviation companies selling aircraft, aviation & defence systems, spareparts, training programmes and maintenance services to private, corporate and government customers.

Squadron Leader Doug Timms

 Officer Commanding the RAF Lossiemouth Safety Centre since 2014. The Project Officer for the delivery of the Robin Radar Bird Detection System to RAF Lossiemouth, working closely with the Rapid Capabilities Office and Robin Radar to deliver this capability within six-months of approval to be ready for the arrival of P-8A to RAF Lossiemouth.