Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton KCB ADC, Chief of the Air Staff
Implementing the United Kingdom’s Future Force 2020
Date/Time: 17th February 2011, 17:30 - 18:30
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE
The planned transition of the RAE force structure was set out in the 2010 Defence and Security Review: the significance of both space and cyber will increase, and success in future conflicts will depend on an ability to operate in the third dimension.
The Lecture will stress the level of commitment of the Royal Air Force to current operations before outlining the planned transition of the RAF force structure, as set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, and will examine the drivers for the employment of air power in 2020. Technology will allow greater persistence, precision and range, but the realities of the battle-space place a premium on four key capabilities - control of the air; intelligence and situational awareness; mobility; attack.The RAF of 2020 will be able to deploy these, in Coalitions or if necessary on a national basis, in defence of UK interests. The significance of both space and cyber will increase; the RAF will be a natural pivot for the delivery of assured access to space and the military element of cyber operations. Success in future conflicts will depend on an ability to operate in the third dimension, to enable surface or sub-surface operations and/or to provide direct effect from the air.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton joined the RAF in 1976 after graduating with an honours degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Bath University. During the height of the Cold War, he flew the Jaguar on 3 tours, both in Germany and the UK, in the tactical reconnaissance and ground attack roles before flying the Tornado GR1A as CO of 13 Squadron. He subsequently commanded RAF Coltishall and the Jaguar Force before being appointed Director of the Eurofighter (Typhoon) Programme Assurance Group in the Ministry of Defence. Having completed the Higher Command Staff Course he was then appointed Director of Air Operations in a period dominated by multi-national operations in Iraq in 2003. On promotion to Air Vice-Marshal he took over defence-wide responsibility for reconnaissance and communications capability requirements before being appointed Controller Aircraft and and then Director General Typhoon in the Ministry of Defence. In May 2007 he became Air Member for Personnel and, on promotion Air Chief Marshal in April 2009, was appointed Chief of the Air Staff. Married with two children, his interests include most sports and he still enjoys skiing, playing tennis, squash and attempting to gain a golf handicap! He is a keen theatregoer and enjoys reading historical anthologies.