Air Commodore Ian Sharrocks

Director Flying Training, No 22 Group Royal Air Force

Ian joined the Royal Navy in 1994, starting his front-line service in 1997 with 814 NAS as a Sea King anti-submarine pilot. The majority of the tour was spent embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible and saw several operational deployments to the Arabian Gulf and the Adriatic – including the 1999 Kosovo campaign.

In Jan 2000 Ian was selected for fast jet training and he re-joined the front-line in 2002 with IX(B) Sqn flying the Tornado GR4. The highlight of the tour was flying strike missions during the opening phases of Op TELIC. Ian transferred to the Royal Air Force in Jan 2005 and after completion of the Qualified Weapons Instructor Course was posted to XIII Sqn where he again flew operations over Iraq.

Promoted to Sqn Ldr in Oct 2007, Ian joined the 2* Commander United Kingdom Amphibious Forces HQ as a J5 planner. Exercises in the USA and Norway were followed by a lengthy deployment to Basrah, Iraq. Working for the last UK commander of Multi-National Division (South East), he was heavily involved in planning the security for Iraq’s first free and fair elections and the UK’s redeployment in 2009. Ian then joined 617 Sqn ‘The Dambusters’ and flew further operational missions during two deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Op HERRICK and also fired Storm Shadow into Libya during Op ELLAMY.

Ian was selected for promotion to Wg Cdr in 2012 and completed Advanced Command and Staff College – winning the BAE Systems Prize for the best Air student. After a staff tour with the Air Staff as Clerk to the Air Force Board, he took command of IX(B) Sqn in Mar 2015 and twice deployed on Op SHADER. In Dec 2015 he led the first UK air strikes into Syria, hitting targets less than 3 hours after a Parliamentary vote and was subsequently awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service and won the 1Gp Operational Command Award.

After promotion to Gp Capt, he was posted to MOD Security, Policy and Operations Directorate where he was Assistant Head of Targeting. His portfolio included responsibility for strategic-level effects planning and full spectrum targeting; for his efforts in this role he was made an OBE. He then took command of 6 Flying Training School.

In Feb 2022 he was promoted to Air Commodore and became Director of Flying Training, responsible for aircrew flying training across Defence and RAF Air Traffic/Weapons Controller training.

Married to Jennie, a former publishing trade-sales director, they have two young sons and reside in Wiltshire. Ian is a very keen skier, enjoys reading military history and vintage cars.