Joe French

Air Chief Marshal Sir Joseph Charles French, (born 15 July 1949) is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer who was the last Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command (2006–07).

RAF career French joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1967 and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying Wessex, Puma and Chinook. Postings included Sharjah, Hong Kong, Germany and an operational tour of Northern Ireland in 1972, for which he was Mentioned in Despatches. He was commanding officer of No. 7 Squadron (Chinook) at RAF Odiham, where he was later station commander (1989–91).

French was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 New Year Honours, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2003 New Year Honours.

Retirement Upon his retirement in 2007, French became President of the RAF Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association.