OC 30 Squadron

Wg Cdr Chris ‘Chap’ Phillips - Officer Commanding 30 Squadron RAF

I had the privilege to assume command of 30 Sqn on 29 Feb 24. I am not sure quite when the mantle transfers but perhaps it was the handshake from Spats on the ramp of the A400M going down Derwent Water at 250ft. The sortie profile was very apt because it showed how much the Force had progressed in the last 12mths, what used to be esoteric was now core business. 30 Sqn has been very much a part of that progress, growing from just Hedley to almost a full complement of 18 crews and 23 ops personnel as I write this.  Inevitably in my first week in command and alongside a heavy existing commitment of operational tasking, Defence called on 30 Sqn to undertake humanitarian air drop over Gaza. The Force easily pivoted to this challenging task and performed brilliantly, not a million miles from where our Sqn had conducted the world’s first food airdrop in 1916 at Kut-al-Amara. It was remarkably similar to my arrival on 47 Sqn as a Flt Cdr several years previously when in my very first week I was duty executive and Op SHADER kicked off with humanitarian airdrop in Iraq, so maybe it’s me.

While I had not served on 30 Sqn until the 29 Feb, I have worked very closely with it for my entire career. I joined the C130J fleet in 2003 and was initially posted to 24 Sqn, RAF Lyneham, where I subsequently completed 2 tours. At that point 24 and 30 Sqn worked in the same building and maintained a very close knit relationship similar to what we now have between LXX and 30 Sqn today. I was subsequently posted to 47 Sqn which I returned to as a Flt Cdr from 2014 to 2017 after a period in staff. I was 47 Sqn 2IC when the difficult decision was made to close down 30 Sqn in anticipation of it reforming equipped with the A400M. At that point the expectation was it wouldn’t be very long, but Atlas wasn’t quite ready. Thankfully we are here now and the Force is looking increasingly capable. The next 12 mths will see us shift to an increasingly tactical flying focused Force in order to meet Defence ambition. 30 Sqn is more than ready, we have the people and the platform to do so.

We enjoyed our annual Sqn social event last week, Cider and Pasties. I had an opportunity to say a few words during which I highlighted that in my view a Sqn is a group of people that change, bounded together by a shared history that evolves over time. 30 Sqn is special because of what it has been through and that is a direct consequence of all of you, the Association. Each of you added to our esteemed shared history, exactly as our current Sqn members are doing today. 

I wish you all the very best and look forward to meeting those that can make it when we hold the Association flying day later in the year.

All the best,

Chap

OC30