Chris Harper (RAF officer)

Chris Harper

Air Marshal Harper in Kabul
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Years of service 1976-
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held 1 Gp,
RAF Coltishall,
41(F) Sqn
Battles/wars Op DENY FLIGHT
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire,
Mention in Dispatches

Air Marshal Sir Christopher Nigel Harper KBE is a Royal Air Force Officer, and is currently the United Kingdom Military Representative to NATO and the European Union, having served for two years as Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command at Brunssum in the Netherlands. Prior to that appointment he was Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in the UK.

Service career

Educated at Alleyn's School in Dulwich and King's College London,[1] Harper joined the Royal Air Force in the Flying branch in August 1976[2] and was assigned to the SEPECAT Jaguar force, serving with 41(F), 31 and 14 Squadrons. He was given command of 41(F) Squadron in October 1994 and was actively involved in operations over Bosnia before reliquishing his command in 1997. In 1999 he was appointed Station Commander at RAF Coltishall and in that capacity was involved in operations over Iraq until he left the station in 2001. He was appointed CBE in December 2001[3] and was Mentioned in Despatches for actions in the Gulf in April 2002.[4]

He went on to be Director of Joint Commitments at the Ministry of Defence in 2004,[5] Chief of Staff (Operations) at Air Command in 2005 and Air Officer Commanding, No. 1 Group in July 2007[6] and having been promoted to Air Marshal was appointed Deputy Commander, Allied Joint Force Command, Brunssum in April 2009.[7]

He was appointed UK Military Representative to NATO and the EU in March 2011 [8] and promoted KBE in June 2011.[9]

References

  1. ^ NATO Biography
  2. ^ London Gazette 47007 of 6 Sep 1976, p12206 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
  3. ^ London Gazette 56430 of 31 Dec 2001, p6 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
  4. ^ London Gazette 56541 of 19 Apr 2002, p4813 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
  5. ^ Senior Ministry of Defence and Tri-service appointments
  6. ^ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 07/06 of 21 Aug 2006 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
  7. ^ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 09/08 of 19 Dec 2008 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
  8. ^ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 07/10 of 17 Sep 2010 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
  9. ^ London Gazette 59808 of 11 Jun 2011, p6 retrieved 17 Jun 2011
Military offices
Preceded by
D. S. Griggs, Mar 1992-Oct 1994		 Officer Commanding No. 41(F) Squadron
Oct 1994-Dec 1997		 Succeeded by
J. P. Maloney, Dec 1996-Aug 1999
Preceded by
S G G Dalton		 Station Commander RAF Coltishall
1999–2001		 Succeeded by
R D Cobelli
Preceded by
Unknown		 Chief of Staff (Operations) Air Command
2005–2007		 Succeeded by
N D A Maddox
Preceded by
D Walker		 Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group
2007–2009		 Succeeded by
G J Bagwell
Preceded by
C H Moran		 Deputy Commander, Allied Joint Force Command, Brunssum
2009 – 2011		 Succeeded by
D Walker
Preceded by
D R Bill		 UK Military Representative, NATO & EU
2011 –		 Succeeded by
Incumbent