Appointment of new Chief of the Air Staff

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE News Release (222/2008) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 17 October 2008

Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the appointment of Air Marshal S G G Dalton CB BSc FRAeS FCMI RAF as the next Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Chief Marshal with effect from 31 Jul 09 in succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy GCB CBE DSO ADC BSc(Eng) FRAeS FCGI RAF who is retiring from the Service. Air Marshal Dalton will also be appointed as an Air Aide de Camp to Her Majesty the Queen with effect from the same date.

AIR MARSHAL S G G DALTON CB BSc FRAeS FCMI RAF

Air Marshal Stephen Dalton joined the RAF after graduating with a 2.1 honours degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Bath University. Subsequently, whilst based in the UK and Germany, he flew the Jaguar on 3 tours in the tactical reconnaissance and ground attack roles. During these tours he flew on exercises in Europe (Norway, Italy, France and Spain), the USA and Canada. On completion of the Advanced Staff Course, Air Marshal Dalton commanded No 13 Squadron flying the Tornado GR1A, during which he was deployed on Operation JURAL flying reconnaissance missions over Iraq; for part of the period he was the Commander British Forces JURAL for Op SOUTHERN WATCH in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Air Marshal Dalton commanded Royal Air Force Coltishall and the RAF's Jaguar Force for 2 years from September 1997. On promotion to Air Commodore he was appointed as Director of the Eurofighter Programme Assurance Group in the Ministry of Defence London. After attending the Higher Command Staff Course in 2002, he was appointed the Director of Air Operations in Ministry of Defence, a period which was dominated by the preparation for and conduct of Operation TELIC - the UK contribution to the multi-national operations in Iraq in 2003.

A tour followed as the Capability Manager for Information Superiority with specific responsibilities for Command, Control and Information Infrastructure and for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance. In April 2004 Air Marshal Dalton was appointed Controller Aircraft, a post which carried with it a place on the Air Force Board and which he carried with him into his next position when, in May 2006, he took up the appointment of Director General Typhoon in the Ministry of Defence.

In May 2007, Air Marshal Dalton was appointed Deputy Commander in Chief Personnel and Air Member for Personnel, based at HQ Air Command, RAF High Wycombe. He will succeed Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy as the next Chief of the Air Staff in July 2009 on promotion to the rank of Air Chief Marshal.

APPOINTMENT OF NEW COMMANDER-in-CHIEF AIR COMMAND

Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the appointment of Air Marshal C H Moran OBE MVO to be promoted Air Chief Marshal and to be Commander-in-Chief Air Command and Air Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty the Queen on 3 April 2009, in succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader KCB OBE ADC.

AIR MARSHAL C H MORAN OBE MVO RAF

Air Marshal Christopher Moran joined the RAF as a University Cadet, subsequently gaining an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering at UMIST. Following pilot training, he was posted to the Harrier aircraft and served on No IV(AC) Squadron, based at Gutersloh, Germany. He also served in Belize, the Falkland Islands and embarked in HMS ILLUSTRIOUS during this tour. In 1985 he was posted on exchange duties with the United States Marine Corps at MCAS CHERRY POINT, North Carolina. He returned as a squadron commander on the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering. Following Advanced Staff College, he completed a short tour of duty in the Ministry of Defence before serving as Equerry to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

In 1994 he took command of No IV(AC) Squadron, by then based at Laarbruch, Germany. He flew during Operation WARDEN (NORTHERN WATCH) and commanded the Squadron during NATO's Operation DELIBERATE FORCE. Promoted to group captain in 1996, he served as a staff officer at Headquarters No 1 Group before taking command of RAF Wittering in 1997. During his time in command, Wittering based aircraft flew on Operation BOLTON and operated as a joint force aboard HMS INVINCIBLE. In 1999, after attending the Higher Command and Staff Course, he was posted as a Divisional Director at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, where he completed an MA in Defence Studies.

Promoted to air commodore in 2000, he moved to the Ministry of Defence, London, as Director of the Air Staff. He took up his next appointment as the Chief of the Defence Staff's Liaison Officer to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon in November 2002, during which he was involved in the planning and execution of Operation TELIC/IRAQI FREEDOM at the political/military level. He was promoted to air vice-marshal in July 2003 and was appointed Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group, where he had responsibility for all Royal Air Force and Royal Navy fast jet forces and for sustaining those forces in operations over Iraq and Afghanistan. In April of 2005 he was appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, again at the Ministry of Defence, London, where he was responsible for the future development of the Royal Air Force during a period of high operational tempo and significant change. Promoted to air marshal in March 2007, he was appointed Deputy Commander Joint Force Command Brunssum in June 2007, the operational Headquarters responsible for the conduct of NATO operations in Afghanistan. Air Marshal Moran has been selected as the next Commander-in-Chief Air Command in April 2009 on promotion in succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader.

APPOINTMENT OF NEW DEPUTY COMMANDER-in-CHIEF (Personnel) HEADQUARTERS AIR COMMAND AND AIR MEMBER FOR PERSONNEL

Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the appointment of Air Vice-Marshal S Bryant CBE to be promoted Air Marshal and to be Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Personnel) Headquarters Air Command and the Air Member for Personnel on 1 April 2009, in succession to Air Marshal S G G Dalton CB.

Air Vice-Marshal Simon Bryant CBE MA BA RAF

Air Vice-Marshal Simon Bryant was commissioned in 1974 under the university cadetship scheme and graduated from Nottingham University in 1977 with a BA in Geography. Following navigator training he completed two tours on F-4 (Phantom) squadrons in the air defence role and a tour as an instructor in the air defence and reconnaissance roles flying the F-14 (Tomcat) with the United States Navy. His flight commander tour was at RAF Leeming where he flew Tornado F3s and this was followed by a tour in the Air Secretary's Department where he was responsible for the career management of fast jet squadron leaders.

He graduated from the Royal Air Force Staff College Bracknell in 1992 and completed an MA in Defence Studies the following year whilst in a Force Development appointment in the Ministry of Defence. He completed an out of area appointment as a senior operations officer in the Combined Air Operations Centre Vicenza in 1996 before assuming command of 43(F) Squadron flying Tornado F3s from RAF Leuchars. He was posted to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in September 1999 as the Personal Staff Officer to the Deputy Commander. This was followed by a deployment as Commander British Forces Oman and Officer Commanding the British Deployed Operating Bases at Seeb and Thumrait after which he attended the Joint Services Higher Command and Staff Course.

He subsequently served as Air Officer Scotland and Station Commander RAF Leuchars. This tour was followed by an operational deployment to Qatar where he was Director of the Combined Air Operations Centre at Al Udeid after which he returned to the Ministry of Defence as the Director of Joint Capability. Promoted to air vice-marshal in May 2006, he was appointed Chief of Staff Personnel/Air Secretary at Headquarters Air Command. He will take over as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Air Command and the Air Member for Personnel in April 2009 in the rank of Air Marshal.