Air Defence of the UK Since 1940

From its early days in the Battle of Britain to today’s high technology fighters there has always been a need for tactical assistance from the ground. Joe will discuss the role of the Fighter Controller and the advances in technology which allowed them to put aircraft in a winning position in the air battle. Also covered will be the tactics used as they evolved over time with aircraft development and improvements to the equipment involved from the Spitfire to the F35 Lightning II, from Chain Home radar to the digital Air Defence Systems of today.

For more information please contact: [email protected]

Located in the Clubhouse. There is a pre-order facility for food (by email to [email protected] no later than 7 days prior). Food is from 17.45.

All are welcome (RAeS membership is not required). There is an entry donation of £5.00 (please use card
payment) at the door. This donation is not expected from those under the age of 21 or holders of a current
Student Union card.
Certificates of Attendance for C.Eng or CPD purposes are available on request.

Speaker: Squadron Leader Joe Marsden

Joe Marsden trained as a Naval Architect before joining the RAF in 1971 to train as a pilot. He flew Vulcans on 27 & 617 Squadrons before moving on to Canberras with No 7 Sqn. A tour at the School of Air Navigation as a ground instructor and flying the Dominie and Jetstream aircraft was followed by a move to 85 Sqn as an Engagement Controller on Bloodhound Surface to Air Missiles. A neck injury prevented a return to flying duties so Joe re-mustered to the Fighter Control Branch. Subsequent tours as an Intercept Controller, Fighter Allocator and Master Controller involved operations up and down the East Coast of the UK and 3 tours in the Falkland Islands. His final tour in the RAF was Chief Designer of the operational software on the E-3D AWACS.

After leaving the RAF in 2000 Joe relocated to Venice working for a multi-national aerospace company supporting the NATO E-3A fleet. Following that he worked for BAe Systems in Kent and then Raytheon on the ASTOR/Sentinel programme. Subsequently, he was asked to be a consultant on the NATO Air Command and Control System based in Brussels which he carried out from 2008 to 2014.

Since retiring, Joe has been involved with the Tangmere Aviation Museum, where he has a Canberra Cockpit (WE113). He has also provided support to Vulcan XL426 at Southend Airport. Currently Joe is an active watchkeeper and Station Training Officer with the National Coastwatch Institution based in Gosport.