About Ian Harding

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So far Ian Harding has created 9 blog entries.

Ten Tors 2025

Blessed with fine weather on the Saturday; less so on the Sunday, the 2025 Ten Tors and Jubilee Challenge events held over the northern half of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon over the weekend of May 11-12, 2025 was attempted by approximately 2,400 teenagers aged between 14 and 19 years old plus a further 400 teenagers and young adults with disabilities. Ian Harding/AeroResource takes a look at this incredible event with images provided by Mark Empson/AeroResource and Kevin Wills. 

By | May 16th, 2025|Exercise Reports|0 Comments

Ramstein Flag 2025

Held from March 31-April 11, 2025 across Northern Europe, Ramstein Flag aimed to demonstrate NATO's ability to implement and execute what is termed its ‘Deter and Defend’ concept across its member countries. The Exercise is part of the ‘Flag’ exercise series with the inaugural Ramstein Flag held at Andravida Air Base in Greece back in 2024 with this year’s edition hosted by the Royal Netherlands Air Force at its Leeuwarden Air Base. Ian Harding reports on the exercise with supporting images from Ian, Wes Bushell, Nick Thompson and Mark Empson.

By | April 16th, 2025|Exercise Reports, News|0 Comments

RAF Puma, 54 & out

The Westland Puma HC2 currently serving with 33 and 230 Squadron at RAF Benson, and 84 Squadron at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, will be withdrawn from service on March 31, 2025. Ian Harding provides a brief review of the helicopter at the end of an illustrious 54 years operational career which commenced with the types first operational flight on September 29, 1971. Throughout this period, the Puma, its aircrew and maintainers have been deployed on numerous operations including combat operations, exercises, provided humanitarian relief, and during more recent times, provided search and rescue capability and fulfilled fire-fighting duties. The Puma had become a genuine ‘jack of all trades’ and will therefore be sadly missed.

By | March 27th, 2025|Event Reports, Historic Reports, Operational Reports|0 Comments

RNAS Culdrose: 814 Naval Air Squadron

Protecting the Royal Navy from surface and sub-surface threats as well as supporting the United Kingdom’s maritime security operations is a role 814 Naval Air Squadron have conducted for many years. AeroResource recently had the unique opportunity to visit this incredible squadron to consider what it is like being a “Flying Tiger’. Cornwall’s Sub Hunters [...]

By | May 20th, 2024|Operational Reports|0 Comments

Iniochos 2024

From April 8-18, 2024, the skies above Andravida Air Base in the northwest of the Peloponnese, Greece reverberated to the sound of fast jets from the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and a coalition of aircraft from elsewhere in Europe and the Middle East participating in Exercise Iniochos 2024. Ian Harding takes a look at the [...]

By | May 3rd, 2024|Event Reports, Exercise Reports|0 Comments

Aeronautica Militare retires AMX

Following 35 years of service, the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) formally retired its last remaining AMX A-11 ‘Ghibli’ light combat and reconnaissance aircraft from service on April 5, 2024. The Italian term ‘Ghibli’ derives from the hot dry wind that blows in North Africa. This historic occasion was marked with a formal ceremony and [...]

By | April 24th, 2024|Event Reports, News, Operational Reports|0 Comments

Army Air Corps Apache AH-64D retirement

© Ian Harding | Army Air Corps | Westland Apache AH1 On March 25, 2024 following 23 years of service, the Army Air Corps officially retired the AgustaWestland/Boeing WAH-64D (Apache AH1) from service whilst also declaring the Boeing Apache AH-64E Guardian v6 operationally ready. As has become standard practice nowadays, the Army Air Corps and [...]

By | April 18th, 2024|Event Reports, News|0 Comments

Poland AW101 Merlin Mk614

As tension surrounding the invasion of Ukraine by Russia builds, it is no surprise that Poland continues to sign various contracts with European and US companies to strengthen the country’s air defence capability. This process commenced in January 2020 when Poland and the US State department signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance valued at [...]

By | February 14th, 2024|News, Operational Reports|0 Comments

Westland Gazelle AH1 Swan Song

On Monday October 23rd 2023, three 665 Squadron, 5 Regiment Army Air Corps Westland Gazelle AH1s departed RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland for a short tour of UK landmarks. This brings to an end this chapter of the aircrafts UK military service life with the official end of service date being October 31st 2023. Ian [...]

By | October 25th, 2023|News, Operational Reports|0 Comments