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The Red Arrows have appointed a former England lacrosse international as their first female commander.
Wing Commander Sasha Nash, a Tornado pilot, has taken charge of what is known officially as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team.
Her appointment comes after the squadron was hit by a string of sexual abuse and harassment scandals.
Wg Cdr Nash, who has flown tours in Afghanistan, said she was ‘incredibly proud and excited’ to take charge.
She will be in command of 150 air and ground crew and responsible for all aspects of the Red Arrows, including staff welfare.
She added: ‘This is an excellent team of dedicated, diligent and enthusiastic people, exemplifying the ethos and values found in units right across the RAF.
'I am excited to work with them to continue to deliver the levels of excellence the Red Arrows are globally renowned for.’
Wg Cdr Nash, who decided at the age of six she wanted to fly fast jets in the RAF and enlisted in 2005, was previously chief of staff at the RAF’s Display Wing headquarters and worked at the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Handover: Wing Commander Sasha Nash, a Tornado pilot, has succeeded Adam Collins
Wg Cdr Nash, who has flown tours in Afghanistan, said she was ‘incredibly proud and excited’ to take charge
Her appointment marks a pivotal moment for the Red Arrows.
Three years ago an official probe found pilots assaulted and harassed females and covered up their mistreatment.
Two male flight lieutenants were sacked after Daily Mail revelations about their predatory behaviour.
The team’s leader at the time, Wing Commander David Montenegro, also engaged in an affair with a female subordinate resulting in her pregnancy.
He was removed from his post as ‘Red One’.
The worst abuses went on while the Red Arrows were touring the world, including sexual assaults and inappropriate touching.
Pilots also exposed their genitals and bullied junior colleagues.
The RAF admitted unacceptable behaviour had been normalised. A report found senior officers ‘lacked diligence and professional curiosity’ when it came to dealing with accusations.
It led to calls for the Red Arrows to be disbanded.
Former military intelligence officer Philip Ingram, who counselled many of the victims, said: ‘I hope Wg Cdr Nash can change the culture.’
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