'It breaks an important glass ceiling': RAF set to name non-pilot as chief for first time

The next head of the Royal Air Force is expected for the first time to be an officer who has never served as a pilot, Sky News understands.

Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, an engineer, is set to be named as the next Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), according to four defence and Whitehall sources.

If this is confirmed, he will replace Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, who is due to step down in the summer.

“It breaks an important glass ceiling,” one source, with knowledge of the appointment, said.

“We have never had a non-pilot before.”

Air Chief Marshal Wigston is a fighter pilot like all but one of his predecessors in the RAF‘s more than 100-year history.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Andy Pulford broke that mould in 2013 when he became the first helicopter pilot to lead the service.

But Air Marshal Knighton, aged 53 or 54, who currently works as the air force’s deputy commander capability, began his military career as an engineer.

He worked with aircraft, including the Tornado fast jet, the Harrier jump jet and the Nimrod maritime patrol plane.

A Royal Air Force spokesperson declined to comment on speculation about the new chief.

“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,” the spokesperson said.

The anticipated, novel change at the top comes at a time of transformation, with the RAF increasingly embracing autonomous technology, including in its next-generation aircraft as well as seeking to exploit the potential of space-based technology, simulators and cyber.

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Change will come after series of controversies

But it also comes at a time of turbulence, internally, for the service as it grapples with a series of controversies that have piled pressure on the incumbent air chief.

This includes the resignation of the head of RAF recruitment last year in protest at an “illegal order” to discriminate against white male recruits to meet “impossible” diversity targets.

Scandal has also consumed the Red Arrows, amid claims of bullying, misogyny and sexual harassment.

In addition, chronic problems with military flying training have persisted, with learner pilots still waiting years in limbo to qualify.

This is despite Defence Secretary Ben Wallace making the task of fixing the problems the “only priority” for Air Chief Marshal Wigston.

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Expected new chief joined RAF in 1988

Appearing before a committee of MPs in February, the head of the RAF admitted to mistakes over the recruitment debacle.

Air Chief Marshal Wigston said it had been wrong for “stretching aspirational” goals – that he had set to improve diversity in the RAF – to end up as “unattainable” recruitment targets.

The outgoing chief enjoys the support and confidence of Mr Wallace and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the defence staff.

Air Chief Marshal Wigston’s tenure as air force chief was extended last year by around 12 months.

He took up the post in July 2019.

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.

This includes a period as deputy chief of defence staff (military capability) – a job that meant he played an important part in drawing up the armed forces’ input into a major review of defence, security and foreign policy that was published in 2021.

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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