King Approves Appointment Of New Royal Air Force Chief

Two RAF F-35B jets prepare to land on the HMS Prince of Wales. Image: Amber Mayall, UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024

The Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed that His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of the new Chief of the Air Staff.

Air Marshal Harv Smyth will succeed Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton in August 2025. He joined the RAF in 1991 as a direct entrant and then spent 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor having flown hundreds of operational missions over Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since his promotion to Air Commodore in 2015, Air Marshal Smyth has held a range of command positions and is currently the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for Military Strategy and Operations.

The appointment comes at a transformative time for the RAF as it moves to warfighting readiness following the publication of the Strategic Defence Review, including the recent announcement that the UK will purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets and join NATO’s nuclear mission as the government delivers greater security for working people through its Plan for Change.

The Chief of the Air Staff is responsible for the strategic planning and delivery of all Royal Air Force operations, people and capability. The position is accountable to the Secretary of State for Defence for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale as well as the development and sustainment of the RAF.

To read more, please click here.

Newsletter Sign up

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name(Required)