Stuart Peach
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Stuart William Peach KCB CBE FRAeS (born 1956) is a senior Royal Air Force
officer, currently serving as the first Commander of Joint Forces Command
. He was Chief of Joint Operations from March 2009 until taking up his current appointment in December 2011.
as an Acting Pilot Officer
on 1 September 1974. He was promoted to Pilot Officer
on 15 July 1977 (with seniority from 15 October 1975), to Flying Officer
on 15 January 1978 (with seniority from 15 April 1976). and to Flight Lieutenant
on 15 October 1978.
He was promoted to Squadron Leader
on 30 June 1986, and received the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in 1990, receiving a promotion to Wing Commander
on 1 July 1991. He was further promoted to Group Captain
on 1 July 1996.
Following an undergraduate degree at the University of Sheffield
and an MPhil degree at the University of Cambridge
, Peach became Director Defence Studies (Royal Air Force) from 1997 to 1999 and commissioned scholarship, edited books and wrote articles on air power in that role. In 1999 he was Assistant Director of the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College
of which he is a graduate.
He was Commander British Forces (Italy
) 1999-2000 and NATO Air Commander (Forward) in Kosovo
in 2000. He was promoted to Air Commodore
on 1 January 2001, and served as Commandant UK Air Warfare Centre
and Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence) at RAF Strike Command
from 2000 to 2003.
Promoted to Air Vice-Marshal
on 18 July 2003, Peach served as Director General Intelligence Collection from July 2003 to March 2006. He was promoted to Air Marshal
on 21 March 2006, and became Chief of Joint Operations on 5 March 2009.
Peach is currently the President of Tri-Service and Royal Air Force Rugby League as well as the President of the IX Squadron Association.
He is married with two children.
(CBE) in 2001. He was also made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
He furthermore received an honorary D.Tech.
degree from the University of Kingston, is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
(FRAeS).
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Stuart William Peach KCB CBE FRAeS (born 1956) is a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer, currently serving as the first Commander of Joint Forces Command
Joint Forces Command
The United Kingdom Joint Forces Command will command allocated joint capabilities from the three armed services. It is being set up following the Levene Report into Defence Reform; its first Commander is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach who previously served as Chief of Joint Operations, and...
. He was Chief of Joint Operations from March 2009 until taking up his current appointment in December 2011.
Biography
Peach was commissioned into the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as an Acting Pilot Officer
Acting Pilot Officer
Acting Pilot Officer is the lowest commissioned grade in the Royal Air Force, being immediately junior to Pilot Officer. Unlike other RAF ranks which officers may hold in an acting capacity, Acting Pilot Officer is maintained as a separate grade. It normally denotes an officer who has recently...
on 1 September 1974. He was promoted to Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on 15 July 1977 (with seniority from 15 October 1975), to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
on 15 January 1978 (with seniority from 15 April 1976). and to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
on 15 October 1978.
He was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
on 30 June 1986, and received the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in 1990, receiving a promotion to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
on 1 July 1991. He was further promoted to Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
on 1 July 1996.
Following an undergraduate degree at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
and an MPhil degree at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, Peach became Director Defence Studies (Royal Air Force) from 1997 to 1999 and commissioned scholarship, edited books and wrote articles on air power in that role. In 1999 he was Assistant Director of the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.-History:JSCSC combined the single...
of which he is a graduate.
He was Commander British Forces (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) 1999-2000 and NATO Air Commander (Forward) in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 2000. He was promoted to Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 January 2001, and served as Commandant UK Air Warfare Centre
Air Warfare Centre
The Air Warfare Centre, known as the AWC, is a Royal Air Force research and testing organization based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom...
and Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence) at RAF Strike Command
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
from 2000 to 2003.
Promoted to Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
on 18 July 2003, Peach served as Director General Intelligence Collection from July 2003 to March 2006. He was promoted to Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 21 March 2006, and became Chief of Joint Operations on 5 March 2009.
Peach is currently the President of Tri-Service and Royal Air Force Rugby League as well as the President of the IX Squadron Association.
He is married with two children.
Honours
Peach was appointed Commander of the Military Division of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) in 2001. He was also made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
He furthermore received an honorary D.Tech.
Doctor of Technology
The Doctor of Technology degree is conferred upon candidates after having completed a course of study in technology, and a project of lengthy duration in a technologically-related field...
degree from the University of Kingston, is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Royal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
(FRAeS).