Paul Godfrey

Air Marshal Paul Alexander Godfrey, is a senior Royal Air Force officer, who served as the first commander of the United Kingdom Space Command.

Early life and education Godfrey grew up in RAF Kenley, south of London. He was educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift, then an all-boys private school in the London Borough of Croydon. While at school, he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force, and gained his private pilot licence at 17.

Military career Godfrey was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 9 May 1991. He served as a Harrier jump jet pilot. In 2006, while holding the rank of squadron leader, he was awarded the Air Medal by the president of the United States "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in Iraq". He became station commander at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland in November 2015.

Godfrey (left) with Gen. James Dickinson, U.S. Space Command commander (right), in April 2022 In February 2021, it was announced that he would become the first Commander, United Kingdom Space Command. In December 2023, it was announced that he would take up the post of Director Capability at Strategic Command in June 2024. However, in June 2024, he instead took up the appointment of assistant chief of space operations for future concepts and partnerships with the United States Space Force and based at The Pentagon. He was promoted to air marshal on 15 June 2024.

Godfrey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2025 New Year Honours.

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