RAF chief to lead armed forces, BBC understands

Sir Richard Knighton has been chosen as the next Chief of the Defence Staff, the UK's most senior military officer role, the BBC understands.

Sir Richard is set to replace Admiral Sir Tony Radakin who has been in the role since November 2021.

He will be expected to oversee major reforms as the government bolsters the UK's defence capability.

An official announcement is expected in the coming days, once the decision has made its way through Royal procedure.

Sir Richard has been Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the Royal Air Force, since June 2023.

Sir Richard Knighton (right) met the prime minister in May

The change in leadership comes as the government has pledged to increase defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027. It has then set a goal of increasing that to 3% by 2034.

On Monday, the government outlined its defence strategy for the next decade.

Defence Secretary John Healey told MPs billions of pounds would be invested to move the UK to "war-fighting readiness" in the face of a new era of threats from nuclear powers like Russia and China.

Sir Richard is known for having a particular focus on military capability.

According to a biography on the government website, he joined the RAF in 1989 as a university cadet, and served as deputy chief of the defence staff from 2019 to 2022.

Regarding the appointment, the Ministry of Defence said: "This is speculation. The appointment process is ongoing and any announcement will be made in the usual way."

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