Oman's Air Force. In Oman, Stirrup flew BAC Strikemasters during the Dhofar War in the close air support and interdiction roles, giving him valuable battle experience of the use of air power in counter-insurgency operations. After he returned to the United Kingdom in 1975, Stirrup was posted to No. 41 Squadron where he flew the SEPECAT Jaguar in the fighter reconnaissance role. Stirrup went on to serve in an exchange tour in the United States where he flew the all-weather tactical reconnaissance RF-4C Phantom. Promoted to squadron leader on 1 January 1980, Stirrup was serving as a flight commander on No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit which was based at RAF Lossiemouth in March 1983: his duties centred around the instruction of trainee pilots on the SEPECAT Jaguar and, on 7 March 1983, Stirrup was carrying out a student progress check from the rear seat of his aircraft when they suffered a serious bird strike. Stirrup was unable to ascertain whether his student was conscious and forward vision through the canopy was obscured: one of his engines caught fire, and although ejecting from the aircraft would have been justified, not knowing whether the student was conscious or not, Stirrup managed to land at RAF Leuchars. Stirrup was later awarded the Air Force Cross in recognition of his handling of the incident. Stirrup was promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1984. In 1985 Stirrup received a command appointment, as the Officer Commanding No. 2 Squadron which at that time was operating the Jaguar from RAF Laarbruch in Germany: along with other NATO air units, his squadron's role was low-level tactical reconnaissance in the face of the Soviet Cold War threat. Stirrup gained first hand experience of the higher-level workings of the RAF when, in 1987, he was appointed Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff. Having been promoted to group captain on 1 January 1990, from 1990 to 1992, Stirrup served as Station Commander of RAF Marham and during his time in command, RAF Marham's strike aircraft were dispatched to the Middle East, seeing action in the Gulf War air campaign. In 1993 Stirrup attended the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS). Stirrup was promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1994, and appointed Director of Air Force Plans and Programmes that year. Promoted to air vice-marshal on 1 July 1997, he became Air Officer Commanding No. 1