Sir Rich Knighton | |
|---|---|
 Air Chief Marshal Knighton in 2023 | |
| Birth name | Richard John Knighton |
| Born | 1969 (age 55–56)[1] |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1988–present[1] |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands |
|
| Battles / wars | Kosovo War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
| Alma mater | Clare College, Cambridge (BA, engineering) |
| Spouse(s) | Caitlin |
Air Chief MarshalSir Richard John Knighton,KCB, ADC, FREng (born 1969) is a seniorRoyal Air Force (RAF) officer and professionalengineer, currently serving asChief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the RAF, since 2 June 2023. He previously served asAssistant Chief of the Air Staff from January 2015 to January 2017,Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) (December 2018 to May 2022) at theMinistry of Defence, and asDeputy Commander Capability atRAF Air Command. Knighton is notable for being the first Chief of the Air Staff who is not amilitary pilot or indeed aircrew-qualified.[2]
Born in 1969,[1] Knighton was educated at Hatton Secondary School inDerbyshire. As a university cadet sponsored by theRoyal Air Force, he studiedengineering atClare College, Cambridge where he graduated in 1991 with aFirst.[3][1] The degree was subsequently promoted to aMaster's.[4]
Knighton joined theRoyal Air Force (RAF) atRAF College Cranwell in 1988.[1] In his early career, he served as anEngineer Officer, and worked onNimrod,Harrier, andTornado F3 aircraft, specialising onairframes.[1] In 1998, he was promoted tosquadron leader, becoming Senior Engineer Officer onNo. 20 Squadron RAF, which was then the Harrieroperational conversion unit based atRAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire. He supported theKosovo War as Senior Engineering Officer inNo. 1 Squadron RAF, serving in Italy. Following this, Knighton moved on to theTornado as fleet manager for the Tornado Integrated Project Team, which encompassed all variants of Tornado then in RAF service.[1]
In 2003 Knighton was promoted towing commander whilst attending theAdvanced Command and Staff Course. A year later, he returned to the Harrier Force in 2004 as part of the Integrated Project Team based atRAF Wyton; this role was looking at ways to transform how the Harrier was supported by commercial industry partners.[1]
In 2006, he was appointedmilitary assistant to theDeputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability) at theMinistry of Defence inWhitehall, London. Promoted togroup captain in mid-2007, he moved toRAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire to take post as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Strategy and Plans atAir Command. In 2009, Knighton attended theRoyal College of Defence Studies, and upon completion, became the Logistics Force Commander for the RAF andStation Commander ofRAF Wittering until 2011.[1]
In May 2011, with promotion toair commodore, Knighton was appointed Director of Air Plans, subsequently known as Head of Finance and Military Capability (Air), at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall,[5] before moving on to creating and leading theFuture Combat Air System programme.[1] From January 2015 to 2017, he served as theAssistant Chief of the Air Staff.[1][5][6] As such, he was a member of theAir Force Board, and also sat on the board of theCivil Aviation Authority as anon-executive member.[1][7] In July 2016, it was announced that Knighton would becomeAssistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability & Force Design) with effect from January 2017.[8] In the2017 New Year Honours, Knighton was appointedCompanion of the Order of the Bath.[9] In December 2018, he was promoted toair marshal, and appointed asDeputy Chief of Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) at the Ministry of Defence.[10] In May 2022, he was appointedDeputy Commander Capability at Air Command at RAF High Wycombe.[11] In the2022 Birthday Honours, Knighton was promoted toKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath.[12]
In March 2023,Defence SecretaryBen Wallace announced that Knighton would be appointed asChief of the Air Staff (CAS) in June 2023, in the rank ofair chief marshal.[13] Knighton, who joined the RAF as an engineering officer, is significant as the first non-pilot to be appointed to the role of CAS.[2] Knighton took up the post on 2 June 2023.[14][15]
Knighton is married to Caitlin, a partner to a Cambridge-based law firm.[1] The couple share their Cambridge home with their two daughters, Emily (born 2000) and Rosie (born 2002).[1] Knighton is president ofCombined Services and RAFPowerlifting, along with the chairman of the RAF Winter Sports Federation.[1] Off duty, Knighton is a "a below-average sportsman", and a keen skier, and confesses a desire to do more sailing, whilst also keeping current with hisprivate pilots licence.[1]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Assistant Chief of the Air Staff 2015–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability & Force Design) 2017–2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) 2018–2022 | |
| Preceded by | Deputy Commander Capability,Air Command 2022–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of the Air Staff 2023–present | Incumbent |
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