Secretary
Andy Harris joined the Committee as the MOD representative in 2012 and became Hon. Sec. in 2016. Additionally he has led the FAAOA Platoon at the National Remembrance Parade since 2018. He served in the Royal Navy for 36 years retiring in 2016.
Commencing his career as a Naval Aviator, he flew Sea King helicopters, instructed navigation and air mission leadership in the Jetstream turboprop and then flew Canberra jets as Electronic Warfare Officer and Navigator on a joint RAF/RN squadron. He converted to his final helicopter type, the maritime Lynx helicopter at Portland. This gave him the opportunity to be a Flight Commander of a Type 22 Frigate based in Plymouth and then to train for and be awarded his Bridge Watch-Keeping and Ocean Navigation Certificates.
He was the Operations officer of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS before becoming the Principal Warfare and Operations Officer of a Type 23 Frigate. He then moved up to Squadron Warfare Officer responsible for warfare standards, practices and at sea training and mentoring for six Type 23 Frigates based in Portsmouth.
He was appointed as Commanding Officer of 815 Naval Air Squadron, with a Taranto Battle Honour, flying Lynx helicopters with 42 aircraft and about 400 personnel under Command. Following the closure of Portland Air Base, he moved the Squadron to the Naval Airbase at Yeovilton.
Following Staff Course, where he was awarded a MA, there followed staff appointments. Firstly as the Staff Operations Officer for the Sea Training staff based in Plymouth including marketing of sea training services to foreign navies and then as a desk officer in Navy Human Resources (HR), in Portsmouth, responsible for a strategic retention project.
He was appointed as Commander Air of HMS OCEAN during an intense training and exercise period which included the first operational embarkation of an Army Apache unit, 656 Squadron Army Air Corps. The work during this period had a direct linkage to later successful operations off Libya in 2011.
A period as a desk officer in the Ministry of Defence in London followed, working in a Joint Directorate where he was involved in fast jet capability studies and a change programme as part of Main Building streamlining. He moved back to Portsmouth to be the Career (HR) Manager with a small team charged with the career management for all Commanders and below in the Fleet Air Arm.
On promotion to Captain, he took over as the ‘Operations Director’ for the Fleet Air Arm based in Portsmouth and he was directly responsible for: maritime air operations, flying training, aviation capability management, air traffic services, aviation standards, practices and safety.
His last role in the Royal Navy was in the Naval Staff, Ministry of Defence based in London. He was responsible for all matters of maritime aviation but particularly the military and political aspects for the delivery of the new Queen Elizabeth Class carriers and the future carrier strike capabilities of the embarked F35B aircraft.
Andy Harris is married and lives in Dorset. Their Son, also a Royal Navy veteran, lives and works in SE Asia with his Wife. Andy relaxes by messing about on the sea and being trained by their Spaniel, he also enjoys downhill skiing and country walks as long as they end up at a Bar or Pub.