Rich Knighton
Sir Rich Knighton | |
|---|---|
 Knighton in 2023 | |
| Born | Richard John Knighton 1969 (age 56–57) |
| Alma mater | Royal Air Force College Cranwell Clare College, Cambridge (BA) |
| Spouse | Caitlin |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Service years | 1988–present |
Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands |
|
Conflicts | Kosovo War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
Preview warning: Page using Template:Infobox person with deprecated parameter
alma_mater which should be merged with/replaced by education.Sir Richard John Knighton (born 1969) is a British engineer and a senior officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He has served as Chief of the Defence Staff since September 2025.
Knighton previously served as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from January 2015 to January 2017, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) from December 2018 to May 2022, Deputy Commander Capability at Air Command from May 2022 to May 2023 and Chief of the Air Staff from June 2023 to August 2025. He is notable for being the first Chief of the Air Staff who is not a military pilot or indeed aircrew-qualified.