Stephen Dalton - Military Career

Military Career

Dalton was commissioned as a University Cadet on 16 September 1973, before being regraded as a pilot officer following graduation on 15 July 1976. Dalton was promoted to flying officer on 15 January 1977, and then flight lieutenant on 15 October 1977. He flew the SEPECAT Jaguar on three tours, operating from the UK and Germany in both ground attack and tactical reconnaissance roles. Dalton was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1984, and awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the 1987 New Year Honours.

Following the Advanced Staff Course, training to fly the Panavia Tornado, and promotion to wing commander on 1 July 1990, Dalton commanded XIII Squadron. He deployed on Operation Jural, the UK contribution to Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the No-Fly Zone over Southern Iraq.

Dalton was promoted to group captain on 1 July 1994, and in 1997 took command of RAF Coltishall and the RAF's Jaguar force. On promotion to air commodore on 1 January 2000, he was appointed Head of the Eurofighter Typhoon Programme Assurance Group at the Ministry of Defence. Following the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2002, Dalton was appointed Head of Air Operations, also at the Ministry of Defence. His tenure in this role was dominated by the preparations for and conduct of Operation Telic in Iraq.

On promotion to air vice marshal on 14 May 2003, Dalton was appointed Director Information Superiority. He was also appointed Controller Aircraft in 2004, retaining this post upon his appointment as Director Typhoon on 2 May 2006. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2006 New Year Honours.

On 1 May 2007, Dalton was promoted to air marshal, and appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel at Air Command and Air Member for Personnel. In the 2009 Birthday Honours he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). He was promoted to Air Chief Marshal and appointed Chief of the Air Staff, and Air Aide-de-Camp to HM The Queen, on 31 July 2009. Dalton was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2012 Birthday Honours.

In light of the Libyan conflict, Dalton warned that there "was a heck of a lot to be doing" and that the military was nearing the point of "exhaustion". The RAF became the first part of the military to bring in the cuts when it spelled out its plans for 2,700 lay-offs in April 2011, following the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010, and Dalton admitted that some were likely to be compulsory. On 24 June 2011 The Daily Telegraph confirmed that Dalton, in common with the First Sea Lord and the Chief of the General Staff, would lose his position on the Defence Board, the highest non-ministerial Ministry of Defence committee, which makes decisions on all aspect of military policy.