Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)

Not to be confused with Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom).
Chief of the Defence Staff
Flag of the CDS
Incumbent
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin
since 30 November 2021
Ministry of Defence
British Armed Forces
AbbreviationCDS
Member ofDefence Council
Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reports toThe Prime Minister
Secretary of State for Defence
NominatorSecretary of State for Defence
AppointerThe Monarch[1]
on advice of the Prime Minister
Formation1 January 1959
First holderMarshal of the RAF Sir William Dickson
DeputyVice-Chief of the Defence Staff
WebsiteOfficial website

Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the title of the professional head of the British Armed Forces and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The CDS is based at the Ministry of Defence and works alongside the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence, the ministry's senior civil servant. The CDS is the highest-ranking officer to currently serve in the armed forces.

Constitutionally, the sovereign is the de jure commander-in-chief of the armed forces. However, in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom exercises the royal prerogative de facto and provides direction of the armed forces through the Ministry of Defence's Defence Council, of which the CDS is a member.

The current CDS is Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who succeeded General Sir Nick Carter in November 2021. Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton has been announced as the next CDS and will take up the post in September 2025.[2] Chiefs of the defence staff are appointed on the recommendation of the secretary of state for defence to the prime minister, before being approved by the monarch.[1][3]

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the CDS include:

  • leading defence (with the Permanent Secretary (Perm Sec))
  • setting strategy for defence, including the future development of the Armed Forces (subject to ministers’ direction, and together with Perm Sec)
  • the conduct of current operations (as strategic commander)
  • leading relationships with other countries’ Armed Forces[4]

Supporting and associated posts

The CDS is supported by a deputy, the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, who since 1997 (when the CDS post was downgraded) has been of equivalent rank but is ordinarily from a different service to the CDS.[5]

There are also several Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (DCDS) posts who support the VCDS. As of 2015, these are:[6]

  • Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations) (DCDS (MSO))
  • Chief of Defence People (CDP)
  • Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Military Capability (DCDS (Mil Cap))

The CDS maintains a close working relationship with the Ministry of Defence's Permanent Under-Secretary, who is the Ministry's senior civil servant, and they both report directly to the Secretary of State for Defence. The CDS focuses on military operations and strategy, while the Permanent Under-Secretary's remit concerns administrative and financial policy.

Additionally, the CDS is supported by a Strategic Advisory Panel.[7]

History of the post

The post was created in 1959 to reflect the new concept of joint operations that had come to the fore in the Second World War. The first incumbent was Marshal of the RAF Sir William Dickson. Prior to the creation of the post, he had served as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, from 1956 onwards. Before 1956, although no permanent post of chairman existed, the three service chiefs took it in turn to act as chairman at meetings. From the post's inception until the mid-to-late 1970s, CDS appointments were granted on a strict rotational basis between the three services. The first break in rotational order was precipitated by the death of Marshal of the RAF Sir Andrew Humphrey.

From the creation of the post until 1997, the Chief of the Defence Staff was appointed to the highest rank in the respective branch of the British armed forces to which he belonged, being an admiral of the Fleet, a field marshal or marshal of the Royal Air Force, (NATO rank grade OF-10). However, with the post-Cold War reduction in the manpower strength of the British Armed Forces and the additional reasoning that no new "Five-star" appointments are to be made in peacetime, since 1997 the Chief of the Defence Staff has kept the rank of admiral, general or air chief marshal, (NATO OF-9), which he invariably already holds. However, during the 2010s Charles Guthrie, Michael Boyce, Michael Walker and Jock Stirrup were honorarily promoted to their respective services' senior ranks, sometime after they had each stepped down as CDS. Although there is no policy against a Royal Marines officer being appointed, few officers in the Corps attain a high enough rank to be considered for the post. However, in 2016, a Royal Marine officer Gordon Messenger was promoted to the rank of general and appointed as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. With the implementation of the Defence Reforms in April 2025, the CDS is also in charge of the Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), commanding the four service chiefs and in charge of force design and equipment delivery to the armed forces.[8] The CDS will also command the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations) and the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Force Development).[9][10]

Professional heads of the English/British Armed Forces
Royal Navy British Army Royal Air Force Combined
1645 N/A Commander-in-Chief of the Forces (1645/60–1904, intermittently) Not established
1689 Senior Naval Lord (1689–1771)
1771 First Naval Lord (1771–1904)
1904 First Sea Lord (1904–1917) Chief of the General Staff (1904–1909) Inter-service co-ordination was carried out from 1904 by the Committee of Imperial Defence under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister
1909 Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1909–1964)
1917 First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1917–present)
1918 Chief of the Air Staff (1918–present)
1923 Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (1923–1959, held by one of the service heads until 1956)
1959 (1959–present)
1964 Chief of the General Staff (1964–present)

List of Chiefs of the Defence Staff (1959–present)

No. Picture Chief of the Defence Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch Life peerage Ref.
1
Dickson, WilliamMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir William Dickson
(1898–1987)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		1 January 195912 July 1959192 days Royal Air ForceNone[11]
2
Mountbatten, LouisAdmiral of the Fleet
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
(1900–1979)
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		13 July 195915 July 19656 years, 2 days Royal NavyHereditary peerage,
Earl Mountbatten of Burma		[12]
3
Hull, RichardField Marshal
Sir Richard Hull
(1907–1989)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		16 July 19654 August 19672 years, 19 days British ArmyNone[13]
4
Elworthy, CharlesMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir Charles Elworthy
(1911–1993)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		4 August 19678 April 19713 years, 247 days Royal Air ForceBaron Elworthy[14][15]
5
Hill-Norton, PeterAdmiral of the Fleet
Sir Peter Hill-Norton
(1915–2004)
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		9 April 197121 October 19732 years, 195 days Royal NavyBaron Hill-Norton[16]
6
Carver, MichaelField Marshal
Sir Michael Carver
(1915–2001)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		21 October 197324 October 19763 years, 3 days British ArmyBaron Carver[17][18]
7
Humphrey, AndrewMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir Andrew Humphrey
(1921–1977)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		24 October 197624 January 1977 †92 days Royal Air ForceNone[19]
-
Ashmore, EdwardAdmiral of the Fleet
Sir Edward Ashmore
(1919–2016)
Acting
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		9 February 197730 August 1977202 days Royal NavyNone[20]
8
Cameron, NeilMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir Neil Cameron
(1920–1985)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		31 August 197731 August 19792 years Royal Air ForceBaron Cameron of Balhousie[21][22]
9
Lewin, TerenceAdmiral of the Fleet
Sir Terence Lewin
(1920–1999)
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		1 September 197930 September 19823 years, 29 days Royal NavyBaron Lewin[23]
10
Bramall, EdwinField Marshal
Sir Edwin Bramall
(1923–2019)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff[a]		1 October 198231 October 19853 years, 30 days British ArmyBaron Bramall[24]
11
Fieldhouse, JohnAdmiral of the Fleet
Sir John Fieldhouse
(1928–1992)
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		1 November 19859 December 19883 years, 38 days Royal NavyBaron Fieldhouse[25]
12
Craig, DavidMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir David Craig
(born 1929)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		9 December 19881 April 19912 years, 113 days Royal Air ForceBaron Craig of Radley[26]
13
Vincent, RichardField Marshal
Sir Richard Vincent
(1931–2018)
[a]		2 April 199131 December 19921 year, 273 days British ArmyBaron Vincent of Coleshill[27]
14
Robin Harding, PeterMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir Peter Harding
(1933–2021)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		31 December 199213 March 19941 year, 72 days Royal Air ForceNone[28]
15
Inge, PeterField Marshal
Sir Peter Inge
(1935–2022)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		15 March 19941 April 19973 years, 17 days British ArmyBaron Inge[29]
16
Guthrie, CharlesGeneral
Sir Charles Guthrie
(born 1938)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		2 April 199715 February 20013 years, 319 days British ArmyBaron Guthrie of Craigiebank[30]
17
Boyce, MichaelAdmiral
Sir Michael Boyce
(1943–2022)
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		16 February 20012 May 20032 years, 75 days Royal NavyBaron Boyce[31]
18
Walker, MichaelGeneral
Sir Michael Walker
(born 1944)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		2 May 200328 April 20062 years, 361 days British ArmyBaron Walker of Aldringham[32]
19
Stirrup, JockAir Chief Marshal
Sir Graham "Jock" Stirrup
(born 1949)
Previously served as the Chief of the Air Staff		28 April 200629 October 20104 years, 184 days Royal Air ForceBaron Stirrup of Marylebone[33]
20
Richards, DavidGeneral
Sir David Richards
(born 1952)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		29 October 201018 July 20132 years, 271 days British ArmyBaron Richards of Herstmonceux[34][35]
21
Houghton, NickGeneral
Sir Nicholas Houghton
(born 1954)
Previously served as the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff		18 July 201314 July 20162 years, 362 days British ArmyBaron Houghton of Richmond[36][37]
22
Houghton, NickAir Chief Marshal
Sir Stuart Peach
(born 1956)
Previously served as the Commander Joint Forces Command		14 July 201611 June 20181 year, 332 days Royal Air ForceBaron Peach[38]
23
Houghton, NickGeneral
Sir Nicholas Carter
(born 1959)
Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff		11 June 201830 November 20213 years, 172 days British ArmyNone[39]
24
Radakin, TonyAdmiral
Sir Tony Radakin
(born 1965)
Previously served as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff		30 November 2021Incumbent3 years, 226 days Royal NavyIncumbent[40]

Timeline

Peerage

Customarily, former Chiefs of Defence Staff receive a life peerage on retirement,[b] sitting in the House of Lords as non-political crossbench peers. Their appointment is recommended not via the House of Lords Appointments Commission as is normal procedure, but is instead nominated directly to the monarch by the prime minister, who elects to nominate "a limited number of distinguished public servants" on retirement for a peerage. Sir Jock Stirrup was introduced to the House of Lords on 1 February 2010 as Baron Stirrup, of Marylebone in the City of Westminster.[34][41][42]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Previously served as the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.
  2. ^ Sir William Dickson, Sir Richard Hull and Sir Peter Harding never received a peerage.

References

  1. ^ a b Departmental Resource Accounts 2006-7 Ministry of Defence
  2. ^ "Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton KCB ADC FREng appointed new Chief of the Defence Staff". GOV.UK. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Admiral Sir Tony Radakin KCB ADC appointed new Chief of the Defence Staff". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Admiral Sir Tony Radakin KCB ADC". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  5. ^ "V: Ministry of Defence and tri-service senior appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  6. ^ "How Defence Works". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Professor Michael Clarke". King's College London. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Major defence reforms launched, with new National Armaments Director to tackle waste and boost industry". UK Ministry of Defence. London. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Defence Reform Volume 765: debated on Tuesday 1 April 2025". hansard.parliament.uk. UK Hansard. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Armed Forces Question for Ministry of Defence UIN 44500, tabled on 7 April 2025". questions-statements.parliament.uk. UK Hansard. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  11. ^ Barrass, Malcolm (25 September 2007). "Marshal of the RAF Sir William Dickson". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  12. ^ Heathcote (2002), p. 189
  13. ^ "No. 43712". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 July 1965. p. 6717.
  14. ^ Barrass, Malcolm (16 June 2007). "Marshal of the RAF The Lord Elworthy of Timaru". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  15. ^ "No. 44376". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 July 1967. p. 8445.
  16. ^ "No. 45168". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 August 1970. p. 8853.
  17. ^ "No. 46109". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 October 1973. p. 12551.
  18. ^ "No. 47050". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 October 1976. p. 14418.
  19. ^ "No. 47050". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 October 1976. p. 14421.
  20. ^ Heathcote (2002), p. 16
  21. ^ Barrass, Malcolm (16 June 2007). "Marshal of the RAF Lord Cameron of Balhousie". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  22. ^ "No. 47311". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 August 1977. p. 11141.
  23. ^ Heathcote (2002), p. 159
  24. ^ "No. 49142". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 October 1982. p. 13571.
  25. ^ Heathcote (2002), p. 78
  26. ^ "No. 51550". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 December 1988. p. 13684.
  27. ^ "No. 52489". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 March 1991. p. 5083.
  28. ^ "No. 53184". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 January 1993. p. 1376.
  29. ^ "No. 53645". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 April 1994. p. 5799.
  30. ^ "No. 54726". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 April 1997. p. 4170.
  31. ^ MoD announces new Chief of Defence Staff
  32. ^ "No. 56992". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 July 2003. p. 8463.
  33. ^ SBAC RAF Chief becomes the new Chief of Defence Staff
  34. ^ a b "Outgoing CDS to receive peerage". Downing Street. 27 October 2010.
  35. ^ "No. 59593". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2010. p. 21039.
  36. ^ "No. 60575". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 July 2013. p. 14487.
  37. ^ "Sir David Richards to become a lord – after overseeing the sacking of 20,000 troops". 13 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  38. ^ "Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Stuart Peach GBE KCB DL". 14 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  39. ^ "No. 62321". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2018. p. 10419.
  40. ^ "Admiral Sir Tony Radakin KCB ADC appointed new Chief of the Defence Staff". 7 October 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  41. ^ House of Lords Business, February 1, 2011
  42. ^ "Gen Sir David Richards new head of British armed forces". BBC News. 14 July 2010.

Sources

  • Carver, Michael (1989). Out of Step: The Memoirs of Field Marshal Lord Carver. London: Hutchinson. ISBN 0-09173-985-3.
  • Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734–1995. Havertown: Pen & Sword. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
  • Richards, David (2014). Taking Command. London: Headline. ISBN 1-47222-084-6.
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