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Stephen Dalton

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For the English wildlife photographer, conservationist and author, see Stephen Dalton (photographer).

Air Chief Marshal
Sir Stephen Dalton
GCB, FRAeS
Air Chief Marshal Dalton in 2012
Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
In office
13 March 2017 – 30 June 2022
MonarchElizabeth II
Chief Minister
Preceded bySir John McColl
Succeeded byJerry Kyd
Personal details
Born (1954-04-23) 23 April 1954 (age 70)
Leicester, England
Alma materUniversity of Bath
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Air Force
Years of service1976–2013
RankAir Chief Marshal
CommandsChief of the Air Staff
Air Member for Personnel
Controller Aircraft
RAF Coltishall
XIII Squadron
Battles/warsOperation Jural
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Gary George Dalton, GCB, FRAeS (born 23 April 1954)[1] is a retired senior officer of the Royal Air Force and former Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey.

As commanding officer of XIII Squadron, Dalton deployed on Operation Jural, the United Kingdom's contribution to Operation Southern Watch enforcing the No-Fly Zone over Southern Iraq. He then moved on to high command, serving as Head of Air Operations at the Ministry of Defence during the preparations for and conduct of Operation Telic in Iraq. Most recently he was appointed Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the Royal Air Force, in which role he advised the British Government on the deployment of air power during the Libyan conflict. In that capacity he implemented 2,700 redundancies, as determined by the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Early life and education

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Dalton was born on 23 April 1954. He was educated at Clarendon Park Junior School and Lancaster School in Leicester,[2] and then the University of Bath, where he studied Aeronautical Engineering.[3]

Military career

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Dalton was commissioned as a University Cadet on 16 September 1973,[4] before being regraded as a pilot officer following graduation on 15 July 1976.[5] Dalton was promoted to flying officer on 15 January 1977,[6] and then flight lieutenant on 15 October 1977.[7] He flew the SEPECAT Jaguar on three tours, operating from the UK and Germany in both ground attack and tactical reconnaissance roles.[3] Dalton was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1984,[8] and awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the 1987 New Year Honours.[9]

Jaguars of RAF Germany in the late 70s, a type flown by Dalton on three tours in the UK and Germany

Following the Advanced Staff Course, training to fly the Panavia Tornado,[3] and promotion to wing commander on 1 July 1990,[10] Dalton commanded XIII Squadron.[3] He deployed on Operation Jural, the United Kingdom's contribution to Operation Southern Watch enforcing the No-Fly Zone over Southern Iraq.[3]

Dalton was promoted to group captain on 1 July 1994,[11] and in 1997 took command of RAF Coltishall and the RAF's Jaguar force.[3] On promotion to air commodore on 1 January 2000,[12] he was appointed Head of the Eurofighter Typhoon Programme Assurance Group at the Ministry of Defence.[3] Following the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2002, Dalton was appointed Head of Air Operations, also at the Ministry of Defence.[3] His tenure in this role was dominated by the preparations for and conduct of Operation Telic in Iraq.[3]

On promotion to air vice marshal on 14 May 2003,[13] Dalton was appointed Director Information Superiority.[3] He was also appointed Controller Aircraft in 2004, retaining this post upon his appointment as Director Typhoon on 2 May 2006.[14] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2006 New Year Honours.[15]

On 1 May 2007, Dalton was promoted to air marshal,[16] and appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel at Air Command and Air Member for Personnel.[17] In the 2009 Birthday Honours he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.[18] He was promoted to air chief marshal and appointed Chief of the Air Staff, and Air Aide-de-Camp to Queen Elizabeth II, on 31 July 2009.[19] Dalton was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 2012 Birthday Honours.[20]

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". 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.[21] He retired in July 2013.[22]

Dalton was appointed as Honorary Air Commodore to the RAF Regiment on 21 September 2013, in succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns.[23] He became Vice President of the Yorkshire Air Museum in 2009 before taking up the post of President in 2015.[24]

Lieutenant Governor of Jersey

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It was announced on 20 December 2016 that Dalton would be appointed Lieutenant Governor of Jersey.[25] He was sworn into office on 13 March 2017.[26]

He completed his term of office on 30 June 2022.[27]

He was replaced by Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd, who took office in October 2022.[28]

He was appointed Bath King of Arms in 2018.[29] In that role, he represented the Order of the Bath at the 2023 Coronation.[30]

Personal life

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Dalton is married to Anne:[31] the couple has two grown-up children.[3]

Dalton's interests include sports, theatre and history.[3] He was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Leicester in 2011[2] and an honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Bath in 2013.[32]

References

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  1. ^ Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-1414-8
  2. ^ a b "Sir Stephen Dalton – LLD (Doctor of Laws)". University of Leicester. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Chief of the Air Staff Biography". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  4. ^ "No. 46138". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 November 1973. p. 14087.
  5. ^ "No. 46984". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 August 1976. p. 10917.
  6. ^ "No. 47123". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 January 1977. p. 710.
  7. ^ "No. 47352". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 October 1977. p. 13103.
  8. ^ "No. 49800". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 July 1984. p. 9435.
  9. ^ "No. 50764". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1986. p. 25.
  10. ^ "No. 52200". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 July 1990. p. 11368.
  11. ^ "No. 53724". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 July 1994. p. 9611.
  12. ^ "No. 55722". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 2000. p. 13840.
  13. ^ "No. 56939". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 May 2003. p. 6213.
  14. ^ "Air Rank Appointments List 04/06 dated 10 April 2006". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  15. ^ "No. 57855". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2005. p. 2.
  16. ^ "No. 58326". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 May 2007. p. 6985.
  17. ^ "Air Rank Appointments List 01/07 dated 16 January 2007". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  18. ^ "No. 59090". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 2009. p. 2.
  19. ^ "Air Rank Appointments List 07/08 dated 16 October 2008". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  20. ^ "No. 60173". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2012. p. 2.
  21. ^ "Top military chiefs "sidelined" after Afghanistan row". The Daily Telegraph. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  22. ^ "Helicopter Pilot becomes CAS". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  23. ^ "Honorary Air Commodore". RAF Association. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  24. ^ "Welcome to the Yorkshire Air Museum". Yorkshire Air Museum. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  25. ^ "The Lieutenant-Governor Designate". 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  26. ^ "New Lieutenant Governor of Jersey sworn in". itv.com. 13 March 2017.
  27. ^ "Tributes Paid To Departing Lieutenant-Governor". Channel 103. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  28. ^ "Jersey's next Lieutenant Governor announced". ITN. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  29. ^ "Four Knights Grand Cross installed in Bath chapel". Westminster Abbey. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Jersey's next Lieutenant Governor appointed".
  32. ^ "Sir Stephen Dalton". University of Bath. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stephen Dalton.
Military offices
Preceded by
A. P. Waldron
 Head Air Operations, Ministry of Defence
2002–2003 		Post subsumed
Preceded by
Unknown
 Director Information Superiority, Ministry of Defence
2003–2006 		Succeeded by
S. D. Butler
Preceded by
D. N. Williams
 Controller Aircraft
2004–2007
Preceded byas Commander-in-Chief,
Personnel and Training Command 		Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel, Air Command
2007–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
B. M. Thornton
 Air Member for Personnel
2007–2009
Preceded by Chief of the Air Staff
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
2017–2022 		Succeeded by
Heraldic offices
Preceded by King of Arms of the Order of the Bath
2018 – present 		Incumbent
Honorary titles
Preceded by Honorary Air Commodore of the Royal Air Force Regiment
2013 – present 		Incumbent
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