Air Vice-Marshal Air vice-marshal (AVM) 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 u ...

Simon S. Edwards is a senior officer in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

, currently serving as

Assistant Chief of the Air Staff The Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS) is a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The current ACAS is Air Vice-Marshal Simon Edwards. The post was originally established circa February 1938, but without being made a member of the Air ...

Education

Edwards attended

Joint Services Command and Staff College Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) 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 offic ...

and received a master's degree in Defence Studies. In 2017 he graduated from the

Royal College of Defence Studies The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces, His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and Civil Service in national defence and international security matters at the highest level ...

and won the Bon Oeuf trophy.

RAF career

Edwards joined the

in 1990. He was promoted to

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

in 2001 and was posted to Air Command. Edwards flew C17s for

No. 99 Squadron RAF Number 99 Squadron is a squadron (aviation), squadron of the Royal Air Force which operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic/tactical transport aircraft from RAF Brize Norton. The squadron conducts global deployments on behalf of the B ...

. In 2005 he was promoted to

wing commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

. He worked for the

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

in 2006. He was then chosen to return No. 99 Squadron RAF and became the commanding officer of the squadron. Edwards was promoted to air commodore and appointed Assistant Chief of Staff Capability Delivery, Air Mobility & Air Enablers, Headquarters Air Command in July 2018. In May 2021, he was promoted to

air vice-marshal Air vice-marshal (AVM) 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 u ...

and became

, replacing Air Marshal

Ian Gale Air Marshal Ian David Gale, is a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He is currently serving as Director-General of Joint Force Development, Strategic Command. Early life and education Gale was educated at Sir Thomas Picton School, a compre ...

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies Royal Air Force officers Royal Air Force air marshals 20th-century Royal Air Force personnel 21st-century Royal Air Force personnel {{RAF-bio-stub