Welcome to our Technical and Strategic Services team Phil
23 May 23
New Joiners
We are pleased to welcome Phil ‘Flabs’ Abbott to Inzpire.
Flabs joins us as a combat air specialist after serving nearly 23 years in the Royal Air Force as a weapons system officer (WSO), whose service has principally been on Tornado GR4.
After graduating university and being employed in the fitness industry, Flabs joined the RAF in 2000 and subsequently completed WSO training on the GR4. His first tour on 12(B) Squadron saw him deploy in support of operations in Iraq as well as numerous overseas exercises (including Exercise RED FLAG, Exercise MAPLE FLAG and the Tactical Leadership Programme). On completion of his first tour, Flabs was selected to train as a Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI). He then joined 14 Sqn as their subject matter expert (SME) in the tactical employment of Tornado GR4 in support of any operational activity, including the sqn’s first deployment on Op HERRICK (Afghanistan).
Post 14 Sqn, Flabs deployed to Italy in support of Operation ELLAMY (the liberation of Libya), where he was the Tornado GR4 SME and advisor to AOC 1 Group from the onset. This included establishing the UK presence in the Combined Air Operation Centre (CAOC) at Poggio-Renatico. On his return, Flabs was posted to XV(R) Sqn as part of the QWI staff, to train the next generation of Tornado GR4 tactical experts. Promoted in 2011, he remained on XV(R) Sqn in charge of training, weapons and tactics before moving to be the executive officer.
On completion of his flying tours, Flabs deployed to Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, working within the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component as the only UK embedded person in the Tactical Operations Centre, responsible for delivery of air support to special operations. Subsequently he was posted to Ministry of Defence as a staff officer within Military Strategic Effects which focused on support to current operations through full spectrum targeting. Here he gained qualifications as a military targeteer and collateral damage estimation analyst. Next, Flabs was posted to the Air and Space Warfare School as officer commanding weapons training, during which he deployed as a national approval authority in the CAOC at Al Udeid in support of Operation SHADER and wider Middle East operational activity.
Promotion in 2019 resulted in a tour in 11 Group within Air Command, to lead the Broader Middle East Team. Whilst at 11 Group, Flabs also led on Carrier Strike Group air activity (including Operation FORTIS) and integrating air capabilities across multi-domain operations. In 2021, he was posted to the Air and Space Warfare Centre as officer commanding 92 Sqn. Here he was responsible for providing timely, precise and impartial operational and tactical advice to commanders and operators for all air platforms and weapon systems, for any current or future operation. In addition, Flabs worked closely with Inzpire staff on 92 Sqn to deliver high-end warfighting training for the RAF, through exercises such as COBRA WARRIOR.
Flabs lives in Lincoln with his wife Heloise and two children. His spare time is generally spent taxiing his children to their various sporting events, but, when possible, he enjoys trail running (albeit slowly) and the odd round of golf.
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