The Royal Air Force (RAF) is set to appoint an officer who has never served as a pilot as its head for the first time in its history, according to sources. Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, an engineer, is expected to be named as the next Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) and replace Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, who is due to step down in the summer. This move is being considered a significant milestone as it will break an important glass ceiling. Several former RAF officers have questioned whether Air Marshal Knighton has enough operational experience, given his background.
Photo: SAC Gemma Nagi/MOD, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Air Chief Marshal Wigston, a fighter pilot like all but one of his predecessors in the RAF’s more than 100-year history, will be replaced by Air Marshal Knighton, aged 53 or 54, who currently works as the air force’s deputy commander capability. He began his military career as an engineer and worked with aircraft, including the Tornado fast jet, the Harrier jump jet, and the Nimrod maritime patrol plane. This shift at the top comes at a time when the RAF is embracing autonomous technology, seeking to exploit the potential of space-based technology, simulators, and cyber.
Critics of the anticipated appointment have questioned the choice of Air Marshal Knighton, given his lack of frontline experience at a time when Russia is waging war in Ukraine. “At a time when we are seeing the consequences of what real war looks like in Ukraine, with significant casualties, then the head of a fighting service should have some experience of the sharp end of conflict where one has to be responsible for employing lethal force and/or put oneself in the line of fire,” said a former RAF officer. The RAF declined to comment on speculation about the new chief, saying that appointments of the heads of the military services are a matter for the Secretary of State, Prime Minister, and His Majesty the King and will be announced when approved.
Air Chief Marshal Wigston’s tenure as air force chief was extended last year by around 12 months. His anticipated successor, Air Marshal Knighton, joined the RAF in 1988 as a University Cadet and studied at Clare College Cambridge. After working as an aircraft engineer, he has spent a lot of his career involved in military capability inside the RAF and also the Ministry of Defence. Others thought to have been in the running to replace Air Chief Marshal Wigston include Air Marshal Harvey Smyth and Air Marshal Sir Gerry Mayhew. Both served as fighter pilots.
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