Joe French
Joseph Charles French | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 July 1949 |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1967–2007 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands | RAF Strike Command Personnel and Training Command Chief of Defence Intelligence RAF Odiham No. 7 Squadron |
| 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 (born 15 July 1949), often known as Sir Joe French is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer who was the last Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command (2006–2007)
RAF career
French joined the RAF in 1967 and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying Wessex, Puma and Chinook.[1] Postings included Sharjah, Hong Kong and Germany. He was commanding officer of No. 7 Squadron (Chinook) at RAF Odiham, where he was later station commander (1989–1991).[1]
He attended the RAF Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies.[1] 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.[1]
French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties,[1] and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy),[1] before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection.[1] He was Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) from 2000,[1] and it was while he was CDI that the controversial September Dossier was drafted which attempted to assess the state of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.[1] In April 2003 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command and Air Member for Personnel.[1] and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command in 2006.
French was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1991, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 2003.[1]
Retirement
Upon his retirement in the spring of 2007, he became President of the RAF Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association.[2]