Richard Knighton

Early life Born in 1969, As per tradition, his BA degree was subsequently promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree.

Military career Knighton joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) at RAF College Cranwell in 1988. Following this, Knighton moved on to the Tornado as fleet manager for the Tornado Integrated Project Team, which encompassed all variants of Tornado then in RAF service. before moving on to creating and leading the Future Combat Air System programme. As such, he was a member of the Air Force Board, and also sat on the board of the Civil Aviation Authority as a non-executive member. In July 2016, it was announced that Knighton would become Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability & Force Design) with effect from January 2017. In the 2017 New Year Honours, Knighton was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath. In December 2018, he was promoted to air marshal, and appointed as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) at the Ministry of Defence. In May 2022, he was appointed Deputy Commander Capability at Air Command at RAF High Wycombe. In the 2022 Birthday Honours, Knighton was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

In March 2023, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that Knighton would be appointed as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) in June 2023, in the rank of air chief marshal. Knighton, who joined the RAF as an engineering officer, is significant as the first non-pilot to be appointed to the role of CAS.

On 27 June 2025, it was officially announced that Knighton had been appointed the next Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces, in succession to Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. He took up the post in September 2025.

In a 2026 op-ed, Knighton and his German counterpart Carsten Breuer stated the need to deepen ties between the two militaries and that "Rearmament is not warmongering; it is the responsible action of nations determined to protect their people and preserve peace. Strength deters aggression. Weakness invites it".

In April 2026, Knighton said that the government was working on a new version of the Government War Books, "in a modern context, with a modern society, with modern infrastructure".

Wear of orders, decorations, and medals The ribbons worn regularly by Knighton in undress uniform are as follows:

Knight Commander of the Order of the BathQueen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee MedalQueen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee MedalQueen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee MedalKing Charles III Coronation MedalRoyal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with one bar With medals, Knighton normally wears the breast stars of Order of the Bath.

Personal life Knighton is married to Caitlin, a partner in a Cambridge-based law firm. The couple share their Cambridge home with their two daughters. 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 his private pilots licence.