It is my great pleasure to introduce the 2008 Royal Air Force Typhoon Display. This year’s display is brought to you by Royal Air Force Servicemen and women drawn from 29(R) Squadron and Royal Air Force Coningsby. The display aircraft is part of the Typhoon front-line fleet and is provided by one of the RAF’s 4 Typhoon Squadrons: No 3(F), No XI, No 17(R) and No 29(R) Squadron. All of these Squadrons are based at RAF Coningsby, the proud home of the RAF Typhoon Force.

This year’s display pilot, Flight Lieutenant Charlie Matthews, is a Qualified Pilot Instructor on
No 29(R) Squadron. Charlie’s day-to-day job involves teaching RAF and international student pilots to fly the Typhoon aircraft and to prepare them for service on the front-line squadrons. Whilst a highly skilled and experienced Typhoon pilot, Charlie is typical of the many RAF pilots who fly aircraft and helicopters both at home and on operations abroad.

The Typhoon is the RAF’s most modern and capable aircraft and the squadrons of RAF Coningsby provide a significant element of the UK’s fast jet combat air power. In the Air Defence role, RAF Typhoons are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the UK’s southern airspace by holding a 24/7 Quick Reaction Alert posture. The agility and adaptability of Typhoon will be further demonstrated when the RAF declares the Typhoon Force ready for Multi-Role operations (which requires a combination of Air-to-Air and Air-to-Surface capabilities) this summer. The ability to perform these roles simultaneously marks Typhoon out from other RAF fast-jet aircraft, and is the reason it will be the backbone of our Service for many years to come. Typhoon is a world-class aircraft operated by outstanding men and women in the air and on the ground. I hope you enjoy the world beating, mind-blowing, breath-taking and stomach-wrenching performance that is the 2008 Royal Air Force Typhoon Display.