Royal Air Force of Oman Marks Annual Day with Graduation Ceremony

RAFO Celebrates Annual Day, Graduates New Officers

Muscat:  The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) today celebrated its Annual Day, which falls on 25 January each year, marking the graduation of the Basic Officer Candidate Course and the Limited Service / University Graduate Officer Candidate Course.

The ceremony was held at the military parade grounds of Ghala Base and the Sultan Qaboos Air Academy under the patronage of HH Sayyid Dr. Kamil bin Fahd Al Said, Secretary General at the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers.

On this occasion, the Royal Air Force of Oman staged a military parade that demonstrated the high level of skill and discipline of its personnel, reflecting the great attention accorded to RAFO by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Supreme Commander.

Upon the arrival of the chief guest, the graduating officers rendered the military salute, while the RAFO Band played the Royal Anthem. HH Sayyid Dr. Kamil then inspected the front column of the graduates.

The ceremony continued with an infantry parade led by the standard of the Sultan Qaboos Air Academy, as the graduates marched past the dais to the accompaniment of military music before proceeding in parade formation.

HH Sayyid Dr. Kamil presented the Sword of Honour to Flying Lieutenant Al Farooq Hamad Al Jabri, who secured first place overall in the Basic Officer Candidate Course. He also honoured Air Lieutenant Abdulrahman Nabhan Al Amri, who ranked first in the Limited Service and University Graduate Officer Candidate Course.

This was followed by the formal handover of the Sultan Qaboos Air Academy’s standard from the graduating batch to the batch currently undergoing training, whose members pledged to uphold and preserve the Academy’s standard.

The graduating officers then chanted the Royal Air Force of Oman anthem, took the oath of loyalty and allegiance, and proclaimed three times: “Long live His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Supreme Commander.”

A number of Royal Air Force of Oman fighter aircraft performed an aerial display over the parade ground, showcasing the force’s advanced capabilities in terms of modernization, armament, training and human resources, once again reflecting the Supreme Commander’s continued support.

Following the display, the Royal Anthem was played, after which the commander of the graduates’ column requested permission to dismiss. The graduates then marched off the parade ground, while the RAFO Band performed a selection of military melodies highlighting the band’s professional musical standards and modern equipment.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Royal Family, a number of ministers, commanders of the Sultan’s Armed Forces and other military and security services, along with several invited guests.