Victims of predatory behaviour by servicemen in the Red Arrows have spoken publicly for the first time
A report last month found sexual harassment in the air display squadron was widespread and "normalised"
Women who were sexually harassed in the Red Arrows have spoken publicly for the first time in a Sky News exclusive.
An inquiry that was released earlier this year found predatory behaviour in the elite squadron was so widespread, servicewomen had to club together to protect each other.
The Red Arrows, known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.
The team first formed in late 1964, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands.
The Red Arrows have a prominent place in British popular culture, with their aerobatic displays a fixture of British summer events.
But in this recent inquiry, which was published on November 1st 2023, the findings were damning, confirming widespread unacceptable behaviours including sexual harassment, the exposure of genitals and predatory activity.
The report also found an "alcohol-focused culture" had existed in the squadron, as well as bullying with too many bystanders failing to call out the wrongdoing.
The RAF revealed a second investigation had been initiated into allegations of failure by the chain of command. Both reports were heavily redacted, apparently to protect identities rather than to protect the RAF from embarrassment.
In total, two pilots were sacked and nine individuals were sanctioned.
The women at the centre of this have spoken out exclusively to Sky News.
Names have been changed to protect the women's identities.
One of them - Kate - was an officer in training.
"I felt really uncomfortable, almost dirty, actually," she says.
You can read more about Kate's story on our website.
Kate's decision to raise the alarm about her time on the Red Arrows prompted other victims to speak out, including a second woman who we have called Lucy. She served on the squadron before Kate and says she also experienced sexual harassment.
"I had my bottom slapped. I received messages from one of the crew asking for sex, but to keep it quiet."
Then, she claims, she started to receive a different kind of attention – flattering and reciprocated. It was from the then lead display pilot.
Things became more serious while the squadron was on tour.
"One night he asked me if I wanted to go up to his room in the hotel. I was a bit naive again at the time. But I went up to his room and that was the start," Lucy says.
They got together when they could, taking advantage of the squadron's overseas travel.
But this was a relationship between a senior officer and a junior rank within a small team. It impacted Lucy's time on the Red Arrows long after he'd moved away. In early 2022, Lucy says, she gave evidence to the inquiry, including about her past relationship.
By that time, the man had been promoted but was temporarily suspended from his post pending an investigation. But the RAF said he was not found to have broken any military rules.
The inquiry report contained a section on consensual relationships and how they might affect the team, though in this case, an RAF source said investigators found that the relationship had had no operational impact. But no one relayed the outcome back to Lucy.
"I haven't had any information to say about how any of the evidence I've given, where it's gone, what's happened from it - nothing," she says.
"I'm still angry now. I actually want to shout because it's so infuriating."
An RAF spokesperson said: "Multiple independent investigations concluded this was a private life matter and no action was required."
A third woman, who we have called Rachel, joined the Red Arrows in early 2022 as the squadron was undergoing corrective training on unacceptable behaviours as part of a set of initial recommendations made by the inquiry team.
Incredibly, she says she overheard misogynistic remarks even then.
"One of the discussion groups I was in was led by another female officer on the squadron," Rachel says.
"People were making lewd comments about the fact that she was wearing skinny jeans because they were tight trousers."
"They were gossiping about her and saying that she was a tease and wasn't to be trusted. It was a bit of a shocking start."
Rachel says she was then told for the first time about the existence of the non-statutory inquiry, as well as some of its deliberations. "I was told that they almost considered blocking my posting on to the squadron because I was a female - that it wasn't considered a safe place for females to work," she adds.
"One of the recommendations was that the squadron was recommended to be shut down for a whole season. I felt devastated and infuriated at the same time.
"The rug had been pulled out from under my feet on day three."
Rachel says she tried to make it work but grew increasingly unhappy. She claims colleagues were unfairly critical of her work and the hostility left her isolated - a position she alleged a male teammate then exploited.
"They tried to follow me to my hotel room. They made comments about my breasts and bum in my work coveralls."
She decided to resign from the air force, but not before submitting two complaints about alleged bullying, sexual harassment and unfair treatment that she's still contesting.
Rachel says she has lost faith in the RAF's ability to conduct fair investigations but hopes that speaking out will inspire others to do the same.
"Things can't be covered up with bravado and banter," she adds. "I hope these actions that we're doing signal the start of a new era."
A fourth former member of the Red Arrows, who we have called James, joined the squadron more than a decade ago.
He claims he was bullied and yet his evidence was never called for by the inquiry team, which only examined unacceptable behaviours from 2017 – after he had left the team.
James thinks there might be other Red Arrows victims who have not had the chance to share their experiences.
"There are lots. I dread to think. This is a big problem."
James claims he started to be picked on by other squadron members after his mental health was impacted by trauma from an accident in 2011 that resulted in the death of a pilot.
Describing the bullying, he says: "It’s like you're back in school. If they see you in a corridor, they'd walk in the opposite direction. They'd walk into their office and close the door."
He claims he was even bullied for flagging safety concerns because it would impact on flying time – even though flight safety for all RAF squadrons is paramount.
The atmosphere at work worsened James's mental health. He considered making a complaint but says a boss warned him off.
"The response was: 'If this kind of information gets out, you know that people are going to close ranks and they're going to make you look ridiculous?'
"'It's in your best interest if you keep your mouth shut.'
"I asked him if it was a threat. And he said: 'You take that as you will'."
An RAF spokesperson said:
"Two comprehensive and thorough investigations have been completed relating to unacceptable behaviours within the Red Arrows.
"The findings of the investigations led to action being taken against several individuals, up to and including dismissal from the Service.
"This was followed by an unreserved apology from the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) and the introduction of many changes within the unit based on the recommendations of the reports.
"As CAS has previously stated, any new evidence on unacceptable behaviours anywhere in the RAF will be thoroughly investigated. Where appropriate, he will not hesitate to use the most severe sanctions available to deal with those whose behaviour harms others."
Asked about the criticism of the non-statutory inquiry, the spokesperson said:
"The RAF recognise it has taken some time to publish the findings, but it was important to get this right and for the independent team who wrote the report to have time to gather the evidence and let affected personnel have the chance to comment.
"Additionally, there are several extensive clearance and approval processes required before release into the public domain."
The pilot who Kate accused of harassment was one of the two to be sacked.
He has not responded to a request for comment.
The RAF has not specified the reasons for sacking the two pilots.
A source close to the second pilot, who joined ahead of the 2020 display season, said he rejected any claims he had been involved in unacceptable behaviours and has lodged a complaint against the RAF over his treatment, saying he feels scapegoated.