The Red Arrows will be led by a woman for the first time in its history.
Wing Cdr Sasha Nash has taken over from Wing Cdr Adam Collins as the aerobatic display team moves into a new era.
Ms Nash said she was “incredibly proud” to be trusted with the role, adding she hoped to “inspire future generations of aviators from all backgrounds”.
The team faced criticism in 2023 after an inquiry found predatory behaviour towards women was “widespread and normalised”.
Ms Nash has flown tours in Afghanistan as a Tornado pilot, and will now command 150 RAF and civilian personnel at the team’s base at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.
She will have responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the operation.
“This is a career opportunity of a lifetime”, she said.
“If someone had told me 20 years ago that, one day, I’d be Officer Commanding of the Red Arrows, I don’t think I would have believed it.”
The Red Arrows will be led by a woman for the first time in its history
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MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Ms Nash’s passion for aviation started when she was a child.
“I was a six-year-old little girl when I decided to join the Royal Air Force and to fly fast jets”, she explained.
“I was inspired by air shows and seeing the speed and excitement of aircraft displaying at those events.
“That ambition stated with me throughout school, where I achieved a sixth form scholarship and subsequent university bursary to join the RAF.”
Sasha Nash will be directing the team
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MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Ms Nash previously worked alongside the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
She also played lacrosse for England at junior and senior level.
Paying tribute to her predecessor, Ms Nash lauded Mr Collins’s “utter dedication to both the team and the RAF”.
Mr Collins lead the team during its 60th anniversary season, as well as a five-week tour of Canada.
“I am confident that, under her leadership, the Red Arrows will continue to demonstrate our recipe of precision, excellence and teamwork across the globe”, he said of his successor.
In 2024, Mr Collins insisted the team had moved on from the harassment claims, saying at the time it was his job to “make people feel included, valued and respected”.