Flight Lieutenant Ayden Feeney

Deputy Commander, UK Airlift Ops Tasking Authority, DSCOM UK Strategic Command

Feeney graduated from Cranwell IOTC No 36 on the 24 September 2014. He attended Liverpool John Moores University where he studied a BA (Hons) in Journalism. Feeney began IOT at RAF College Cranwell in Oct 2013, graduating in Sep 2014. After a short hold at RAF Brize Norton, Feeney began his professional training at RAF Halton. On successful completion of his training, he was posted to RAF Benson Logistics Sqn as OC Stock Holding Flight, ensuring the storage and distribution of all Puma Mk 2, Merlin and Chinook OCF equipment, managing a flight of 40 personnel. During his time at Benson, Feeney had the unique opportunity to participate in a wide variety of exercises in support of Joint Helo Cmd. He deployed as the Supply Cdr on Ex JEBEL SAHARA in Morocco. Feeney then deployed again to the States, on Ex IMPERIAL ZEPHYR in charge of ensuring all logistical elements and issues were efficiently resolved at the Deployment, Sustainment and Recovery stages. After returning from his final exercise, Feeney was posted for a short period into the FHQ to assume SO3 J4 Logs role, in charge of planning and executing all exercises and operations that the Pu Fce were tasked with at that time. Culminating an enjoyable, challenging and broadening first tour, he deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan as the SO3 J1/J4 of the Puma detachment iso Op RESOLUTE SUPPORT. On return from OOA, he successfully completed his Air Movements training and was posted to Air Movements Sqn as Duty Air Movs Officer (DAMO) at RAF Brize Norton. During his tour as a DAMO he was heavily involved with numerous operations and exercises, including Op RUMAN, the Hurricane Irma relief operation. In 2018 he was recommended for RAFLO Duties and was chosen to be OC PAMD Canada in August 2018 based in Calgary Canada. Programming and supporting the deployment of all UK Mil and UK Sponsored aircraft into the Canadian AOR. During his tour, he was the sole Air Movs Officer supporting Ex WESTERN HAWK 19, the largest RAF Red Arrows tour to North America in recent memory, ensuring the timely and safe movement of 150 pers and associated support equipment across US/ Canadian Airspace and locations. He subsequently met his wife, Anna in Calgary whom he married in Oct of 2020 in Banff, AB. After a career high of Canada, Feeney was posted to DSCOM within the Air Planning Teams in MoD Abbeywood, Bristol in May 2021. Working closely on some of Defences largest and most complex operations to date, including, Op PITTING/ Ukraine Invasion. In Aug 2022, Feeney was selected to become Dep Cdr UK Airlift Ops Tasking Authority, responsible for the tasking of all UK Mil Airlift assets, some 50 aircraft, globally. And managing the circa 20 SMEs in the creation of the Global Airlift Programme, working with MoD/ International partners and allies to project UK forces, enabling further Operations such as GREENLIGHTER (Turkey earthquake) and the extraction of UK pers from Sudan most recently. His interests include skiing, mountain hiking and climbing, Squash, Rugby and maintaining an active interest in current affairs. He enjoys the great outdoors and getting into the mountains as much possible with his wife Anna, Harvey his 9 week old Son and energetic Aussie Sheepdog, Ellie. Although nothing can beat the Canadian Rockies!