Brigadier Andy Gilks was commissioned into the Army Air Corps in 1998. After deploying on Operation Palatine to Bosnia with the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters he completed Army pilot training in 2000. He first flew Gazelle helicopters as part of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps in the light reconnaissance role, supporting operations and exercises in Northern Ireland, Kenya, Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia. Selected for the first frontline Apache conversion course as part of 656 Squadron Army Air Corps, he played a role in developing the aircraft’s maritime capability and its first operational deployments. Staff tours in operational headquarters and the Ministry of Defence followed. In 2009 he converted to fly fixed wing aircraft before commanding a flying unit dedicated to UK operations alongside other government departments. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 2013 he attended staff college in Toronto, Canada, before returning to Whitehall to act as the Military Assistant to the Director General of the Military Aviation Authority, and latterly the Defence Safety Authority. He commanded 7 Regiment Army Air Corps between June 2016 and July 2018, training UK Army Aviators to earn their Wings then convert to Apache, Bell 212, Gazelle or the Dauphin N3. On promotion to Colonel in 2018 he returned to Ministry of Defence A Block, serving as their ACOS Capability. In 2021 he moved to the Finance and Military Capability Department within the Ministry of Defence as the Assistant Head of Joint Plans with responsibility for coordinating UK Strategic Command’s capability planning and programming. He assumed the role of Chief of Staff Joint Helicopter Command on promotion to Brigadier in June 2022. He is married to Louise, has two children and is still an avid mountain biker.

Selected for the first frontline Apache conversion course as part of 656 Squadron Army Air Corps, he played a role in developing the aircraft’s maritime capability and its first operational deployments. Staff tours in operational headquarters and the Ministry of Defence followed. In 2009 he converted to fly fixed wing aircraft before commanding a flying unit dedicated to UK operations alongside other government departments. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 2013 he attended staff college in Toronto, Canada, before returning to Whitehall to act as the Military Assistant to the Director General of the Military Aviation Authority, and latterly the Defence Safety Authority. He commanded 7 Regiment Army Air Corps between June 2016 and July 2018, training UK Army Aviators to earn their Wings then convert to Apache, Bell 212, Gazelle or the Dauphin N3.

On promotion to Colonel in 2018 he returned to Ministry of Defence A Block, serving as their ACOS Capability. In 2021 he moved to the Finance and Military Capability Department within the Ministry of Defence as the Assistant Head of Joint Plans with responsibility for coordinating UK Strategic Command’s capability planning and programming. He assumed the role of Chief of Staff Joint Helicopter Command on promotion to Brigadier in June 2022.

He is married to Louise, has two children and is still an avid mountain biker.