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Engineering

First Sea Lord talks about naval aviation and his student days at Southampton

Published: 26 March 2014

Admiral Sir George Zambellas, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, the Royal Navy, spoke about the future of naval aviation at the 58th RJ Mitchell lecture at the University of Southampton, organised by the Solent Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is an alumnus of the University and graduated with a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics before serving as a naval pilot.

A capacity audience at the Turner Sims Concert Hall heard his talk on the importance of naval aviation and the role that this part of the Service will play in years to come.
“It’s a hundred years since the beginning of military aviation with the start of the First World War and it’s of key importance to the future of the Royal Navy,” he says. “The next phase in the history of naval aviation will start later this year with the launch by Her Majesty The Queen of the first of the new generation of aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth. Every aircraft in the Fleet Air Arm is being replaced, technology is advancing and it is an excellent time for young people to join the Service.”
Sir George also recalled his time at the University of Southampton. “I remember a tremendous sense of community in my student days, I made friends for life and played a lot of sport, and later I used much of my engineering and technical knowledge during my career in the Royal Navy.”

To hear the Admiral talk about the importance of naval aviation, visit the podcast at the top of this page.

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