SIR RICHARD KNIGHTON is expected to become the UK's next Chief of the Defence Staff, replacing Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who has held the post since November 2021, according to a BBC report.
An official announcement is expected soon, pending completion of the Royal approval process. Sir Richard has served as Chief of the Air Staff since June 2023.
He is likely to take charge at a time when the government is implementing reforms to strengthen the UK's defence capabilities. The government has pledged to increase defence spending from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of national income by 2027, with a target of reaching 3 per cent by 2034.
On Monday, the government laid out its defence strategy for the next decade. Defence Secretary John Healey told MPs that billions of pounds would be spent to prepare the UK for "war-fighting readiness" amid growing threats from nuclear powers such as Russia and China.
Sir Richard, who joined the Royal Air Force in 1989 as a university cadet, previously served as deputy chief of the defence staff from 2019 to 2022.
The Ministry of Defence said: "This is speculation. The appointment process is ongoing and any announcement will be made in the usual way."
A man holds an England flag aopposite protesters attending a rally organised by Stand Up To Racism outside the Britannia International Hotel on July 25, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
Keir Starmer (left) and Narendra Modi
Starmer (L) and Modi at Chequers
Modi and Starmer during the discussion