Wing Cdr Sasha Nash, who has taken over from Wing Cdr Adam Collins as the most senior officer in the Royal Air Force aerobatic team, described it as the "opportunity of a lifetime". Nash said she was "incredibly proud", adding she hoped to "inspire future generations of aviators from all backgrounds". In 2023, the team faced criticism after an inquiry found predatory behaviour towards women within the team was "widespread and normalised".

Nash, a former Tornado pilot who has flown tours in Afghanistan, will command 150 RAF and civilian personnel at the team's headquarters at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, and have responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the operation. "This is a career opportunity of a lifetime," she said. "If someone had told me 20 years ago that, one day, I'd be Officer Commanding of the Red Arrows, I don't think I would have believed it." Talking about her passion for aviation, she said it had all started when she was a child. "I was a six-year-old little girl when I decided to join the Royal Air Force and to fly fast jets – inspired by air shows and seeing the speed and excitement of aircraft displaying at those events. "That ambition stayed with me throughout school, where I achieved a sixth form scholarship and subsequent university bursary to join the RAF." (BBC)