Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton starts work as Chief of Defence Staff
Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton has started work as Chief of the Defence Staff after replacing the outgoing Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.
After a recent reform, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) will now command the service chiefs for the first time and is also the head of the newly created Military Strategic Headquarters, which is responsible for force design and war planning across all three services.
ACM Sir Rich was the first non-pilot to be placed in command of the RAF when he was appointed to the role in 2023.
He said it was an "honour" to take his place in the role as he begins to oversee the trio of services.
"I will work tirelessly to combat the threats the UK faces whilst fulfilling the integral role the Armed Forces play in protecting our personnel, our allies and operations worldwide," he said.
The 56-year-old joined the service as an engineering officer and supported operations during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s.
Once he was appointed as air chief marshal, he pinpointed the importance of air and space power to UK security and vowed to continue with the modernisation of the RAF seen under his predecessor Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston.
Defence Secretary John Healey previously said that ACM Sir Rich commanded the RAF "with distinction through a period of intense demand" when he was first appointed as CDS.
"As Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Rich Knighton has led the RAF with distinction through a period of intense demand, with Nato operations, deployments to the Middle East and activity across the world," Mr Healey said.
"As Chief of the Defence Staff, he will play a critical role in delivering the transformation set out in the Strategic Defence Review.
"And together, we will put the men and women of our Armed Forces at the heart of our defence plans.
"I would like to thank Admiral Sir Tony Radakin for his distinguished service and counsel as Chief of the Defence Staff through an unprecedented period – in particular, his unparalleled leadership on Ukraine.
"I look forward to working with Air Chief Marshal Rich over the coming years to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
The CDS is the professional head of the Armed Forces and the main military adviser to the Defence Secretary and the Government and reports directly to the Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister.
Profile – Chief of the Defence Staff ACM Sir Rich Knighton
ACM Sir Rich, 56, grew up in Derbyshire and first entered the Royal Air Force in 1988 as a university cadet. Alongside being a university cadet, he studied engineering at Clare College, Cambridge.
At the beginning of his career, he worked on Nimrod Maritime Patrol aircraft, Tornado F3 and within the Harrier Force.
He served as the RAF's Logistics Force Commander when he was Station Commander at RAF Wittering.
His other roles in government have included Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) from 2019 to 2022 and Deputy Commander, Capability and People, from 2022 to 2023, before becoming Chief of Air Staff.
ACM Sir Rich has two daughters with his wife, Caitlin, a partner in a law firm, and currently lives in Cambridge.
Outside of his military work, he holds a private pilot's licence, is a strong skier, and wants to sail more often.
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