Gets to know.......Mike Sutton OBE

Episode • Jan 28, 2022 • 55m

On this episode Simon K speaks to former RAF Typhoon pilot Mike Sutton OBE.

Deputy Director of Flight Ops at Draken Europe, Mike “Sooty” Sutton, is A former Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF). Sooty led the first squadron of #Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s into combat in the war against ISIS in 2015. An RAF fighter pilot for 18 years, he flew the Jaguar strike jet before becoming an instructor on the first RAF Typhoon multi-role attack squadron.The Wiltshire born pilot led 1 Squadron, a legendary squadron which fought with distinction during the First World War, Battle of Britain and the Falklands War. Taking command of the squadron represented the pinnacle of Mr Sutton's career as a fighter pilot. He flew Typhoon fighter jets at nearly twice the speed of sound in some of the most dangerous and fiercely contested airspace in the world. He also conducted a live scramble in response to a potential terrorist hijacking and served in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

During his time as a tactics instructor he conducted a live scramble in response to a potential terrorist hijacking and served on operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. He left the RAF as a Wing Commander aged 39, and now flies commercially providing operational readiness training for the UK armed forces.

Taking command of the RAF's premier Typhoon squadron represented the pinnacle of Mike Sutton's career as fighter pilot. Until the day he was told he would be leading 1 (Fighter) Squadron into battle against a bloody and brutal enemy hellbent on establishing a permanent stronghold across Syria and Iraq and spreading terror across the free world.

Their mission was to help stop them in their tracks.

He was awarded the OBE in 2017.

And currently has a book out called Typhoon.

'Typhoon' is the first ever inside account of Operation SHADER, the British participation in the war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

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