Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier
Name	Sir Stephen Hillier
Birth date	1962
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Serviceyears	1981–2019
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands	Royal Air Force, No. 3 Squadron RAF, No. 32 Squadron RAF, No. 14 Squadron RAF, Joint Forces Command
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier is a retired senior officer of the Royal Air Force who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 2016 to 2019 and later chaired national reviews and held defence-related non-executive roles. He has been involved with operations, staff appointments and alliance-level planning across NATO, the Ministry of Defence, and UK strategic programmes, and has been recognised with multiple honours including investiture as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

Early life and education

Hillier was educated in United Kingdom schools before joining the Royal Air Force in 1981, progressing through Royal Air Force College Cranwell training and operational conversion units including No. 1 School of Technical Training. He attended staff and command courses at institutions such as the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Defence Studies and the Joint Services Command and Staff College, and completed strategic studies modules linked to the National Defence College (United Kingdom), the NATO Defence College, and other allied education establishments.

Military career

Hillier's early operational service included flying assignments and squadron leadership with types and units associated with the Panavia Tornado, Hawker Siddeley Harrier, and other RAF platforms while deployed on operations related to theatres including Falklands War-era force posture and later conflicts such as operations over Iraq and Afghanistan. He commanded frontline units including No. 3 Squadron RAF and staff appointments at RAF High Wycombe and Air Command, serving in roles connected to planning for campaigns like Operation Telic and Operation Herrick. His staff career encompassed appointments at the Ministry of Defence including director-level posts, and he worked on capability programmes intersecting with organisations such as Defence Equipment and Support and the Cabinet Office.

During his career Hillier served in NATO staff structures including positions that interfaced with Allied Command Operations, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and alliance planning bodies, contributing to concepts and doctrine used in exercises and readiness activities with partners such as the United States Air Force, the French Air and Space Force, and the German Air Force. He also undertook joint appointments that connected RAF air power employment with British Army manoeuvre planning and Royal Navy maritime aviation, reflecting integration efforts similar to those at Joint Forces Command and multinational coalitions including the International Security Assistance Force.

Senior leadership and NATO roles

Promoted through the air officer ranks, Hillier served as Deputy Commander (Personnel) RAF and in senior positions culminating in his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff where he led the Royal Air Force's transformation programmes, capability acquisition priorities and international engagement with organisations such as NATO, the European Defence Agency, and bilateral defence partners including United States Department of Defense, Poland Ministry of Defence, and Australian Defence Force. In alliance contexts he participated in high-level meetings with leaders from North Atlantic Council, European Union Military Committee, and national chiefs of defence including counterparts from Canada, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Norway.

Hillier's tenure involved oversight of contributions to operations including continued RAF support for counter-ISIS efforts in the Middle East alongside coalition partners such as Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve and humanitarian and stabilisation missions in coordination with United Nations components and NATO-led initiatives. He engaged with procurement and industrial bases including firms linked to programmes like the Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35 Lightning II, Airbus Defence and Space, and UK defence industry stakeholders.

Honours, awards and recognition

Hillier's awards include appointments in the Order of the British Empire and Order of the Bath, notably being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and later a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He has received campaign and commendation honours such as the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service and service medals associated with operations in regions including Iraq, Afghanistan, and expeditionary deployments linked to NATO missions. International recognitions from allied nations and defence bodies have included diplomatic commendations and bilateral citations reflecting cooperation with the United States, France, Poland, and other NATO members.

Post-retirement activities and public roles

After retiring from active service in 2019, Hillier chaired and contributed to national reviews and commissions examining defence, capability and civil resilience, interacting with ministries and bodies such as the Cabinet Office, Department for Transport, and the National Audit Office on matters of strategic review. He has held non-executive directorships and advisory roles with aerospace and defence-related organisations and think tanks, engaging with institutions like the Royal United Services Institute, the Royal Aeronautical Society, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and academic partners at King's College London and the University of Oxford on air power and security research.

Hillier has participated in public inquiries and reviews, giving evidence and strategic advice to parliamentary committees including the House of Commons Defence Committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on the Armed Forces, and has spoken at conferences hosted by entities such as the Munich Security Conference, the Security and Defence Agenda, and industry events connected to Aerospace Technology Institute and multinational defence consortiums.

Category:Royal Air Force air marshals Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath