Joe French

Joseph Charles French
Nickname(s)	Joe
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1967–2007
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands	RAF Strike Command Personnel and Training Command Chief of Defence Intelligence No. 7 Squadron RAF
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Air Chief Marshal Sir Joseph Charles French KCB, CBE, ADC, often known as Sir Joe French is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer, who was the last Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command.

RAF career

French joined the RAF in 1967, and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying Wessex, Puma and Chinook. Postings included Sharjah, Hong Kong and Germany. He was commanding officer of 7 Squadron (Chinook) at RAF Odiham, where he was later station commander (1989–1991).

He attended the RAF Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies.

Staff postings included aide-de-camp to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command. He served on the staff of the Central Trials and Tactics Organisation, and was Head of the RAF Presentation Team.

French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties, and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy), before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection.

He was Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) from 2000 and it was whilst he was CDI that the controversial September Dossier was drafted which attempted to assess the state of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

In April 2003 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command and Air Member for Personnel.

French was made a CBE in 1991, and a KCB in 2005.

Retirement

Upon his retirement in the spring of 2007, he became President of the RAF Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association.

References

• BBC News - Profile: Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French