Perspex fragments had struck him in the face and neck. As he was flying close to the ground, endeavouring to gain high-resolution imagery of certain targets, a bullet from a Kalashnikov rifle shattered the canopy of his aircraft and momentarily stopped the single engine of his Harrier. On FebruWalker took off to carry out a patrol into Iraqi territory. The squadron flew armed-reconnaissance missions monitoring Iraqi movements near the Kurdish safe areas. In early 1995, his squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey as part of the US-led Operation Provide Comfort tasked with protecting the Kurdish peoples of northern Iraq from Iraqi aggression. This laid the foundation for the squadron’s involvement in the complex air campaigns in Iraq and the Balkans. Not only did he lead on devising and developing fighter tactics, but he also endeavoured to raise his force’s perspectives on the wider issues of fighting air campaigns with multiple units and allies. When Walker assumed command of No 1 Squadron in April 1994, the squadron was developing techniques for night operations in its Harrier aircraft. Air Marshal David Walker, who has died aged 66, was a veteran Harrier pilot who saw active service in Bosnia and northern Iraq and later filled operational staff appointments during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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