Commander of the
Royal Canadian Air Force and Chief of the Air Force Staff
Roundel of Canada
Incumbent
Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny
since 12 August 2022
 Royal Canadian Air Force
TypeCommissioned Officer
StatusCurrently constituted
AbbreviationCRCAF
Reports toChief of the Defence Staff
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Formation1914
First holderErnest Lloyd Janney
DeputyDeputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force
WebsiteOfficial website

The Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (French: commandant de l'Aviation royale canadienne) is the institutional head of the Royal Canadian Air Force. This appointment also includes the title Chief of the Air Force Staff and is based at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario.

History of the position

With the creation of the Canadian Aviation Corps in 1914, a provisional commander was appointed. This small and short-lived organization was dissolved in 1915 and it was not until 1918 that the Canadian Air Force came into being under the authority of its Officer Commanding. The Canadian Air Force was reconstituted in 1920 and the officer in command (Air Commodore Tylee) held the title of Air Officer Commanding. It was also from 1920 to 1922 that Air Vice-Marshal Sir Willoughby Gwatkin served as Inspector-General of the Canadian Air Force although formally command was held by Tylee. Tylee's successors, not being air officers, only held the title of Officer Commanding. In 1922, the senior Air Force post was redesignated as the Director and in 1924, when the Canadian Air Force was granted its Royal prefix, the officer appointed to command the Air Force continued to hold the title of Director.[1]

From 1932 to 1938 the title of Senior Air Officer was used. In late 1938, the Air Force became an independent service and its professional head was retitled Chief of the Air Staff, bringing the Canadian higher command arrangements and nomenclature into line with that of the British and Australian air forces. The title of Chief of the Air Staff was used throughout World War II and well into the Cold War years. However, in 1964, the post was abolished as part of a plan to integrate the Canadian Forces and authority over aviation units was no longer vested in a single post. Air Defence Command and Air Transport Commands continued as before but with no overall air commander, while the Canadian Air Division, Air Training and Air Materiel were all divided up between Mobile and Maritime Commands.[2] This arrangement was eventually judged to be impractical and in 1975 the air units of the Canadian Forces were placed within Air Command under the authority of a lieutenant-general with the title Commander of Air Command. In 1997 the Commander of Air Command was re-designated the Chief of the Air Staff, a title which continued in use until 2011. In 2011 Air Command was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force at which time the appointment was renamed to its present incarnation.[3]

Evolution of the position

Dates Title Rank(s) held Air service
1914–1915 Provisional Commander Captain Canadian Aviation Corps
1918–1920 Officer Commanding Lieutenant Colonel Canadian Air Force
(first creation)
1920–1922 Air Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
Air Commodore
Wing Commander
Canadian Air Force
(second creation)
1922–1924 Director Wing Commander
1924–1932 Squadron Leader to Group Captain Royal Canadian Air Force
(first creation)
1932–1938 Senior Air Officer Wing Commander to Air Vice-Marshal
1938–1964 Chief of the Air Staff Air Vice-Marshal to Air Marshal
1964–1975 no single air commander not applicable no single air power organization
1975–1997 Commander Lieutenant-General Air Command
1997–2011 Chief of the Air Staff
2011– Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Chief of the Air Force Staff Royal Canadian Air Force
(second creation)

Appointees

The following table lists all those who have held the post of Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure:[1]

No. Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
Provisional Commander
1
E.L. Janney
Janney, E.L.Captain
E.L. Janney
(1893–1941)
191419150–1 years
Officer Commanding
1
W.A. Bishop
Bishop, W.A.Lieutenant-Colonel
W.A. Bishop
(1894–1956)
191819180 years
Air Officer Commanding
1
A.K. Tylee
Tylee, A.K.Air Commodore
A.K. Tylee
(1887–1961)
192019210–1 years
Officer Commanding
1
R.F. Redpath
Redpath, R.F.Wing Commander
R.F. Redpath
(1888–1970)
192119210 years
2
J.S. Scott
Scott, J.S.Wing Commander
J.S. Scott
(1889–1975)
192119220–1 years
Director
1
J.L. Gordon
Gordon, J.L.Wing Commander
J.L. Gordon
(1892–1940)
192219241–2 years
2
W.G. Barker
Barker, W.G.Wing Commander
W.G. Barker
(1894–1930)
192419240 years
3
J.S. Scott
Scott, J.S.Group Captain
J.S. Scott
(1889–1975)
192419283–4 years
4
L.S. Breadner
Breadner, L.S.Wing Commander
L.S. Breadner
(1894–1952)
192819323–4 years
5
A.A.L. Cuffe
Cuffe, A.A.L.Squadron Leader
A.A.L. Cuffe
(1895–1969)
193219320 years
Senior Air Officer
1
J.L. Gordon
Gordon, J.L.Group Captain
J.L. Gordon
(1892–1940)
193219330–1 years
2
G.O. Johnson
Johnson, G.O.Wing Commander
G.O. Johnson
(1896–1980)
193319330 years
3
G.M. Croil
Croil, G.M.Air Vice Marshal
G.M. Croil
(1893–1959)
193419383–4 years
Chief of the Air Staff
1
G.M. Croil
Croil, G.M.Air Vice Marshal
G.M. Croil
(1893–1959)
193819401–2 years
2
L.S. Breadner
Breadner, L.S.Air Marshal
L.S. Breadner
(1894–1952)
194019432–3 years
3
R. Leckie
Leckie, R.Air Marshal
R. Leckie
(1890–1975)
194419472–3 years
4
W.A. Curtis
Curtis, W.A.Air Marshal
W.A. Curtis
(1893–1977)
194719535–6 years
5
C.R. Slemon
Slemon, C.R.Air Marshal
C.R. Slemon
(1904–1992)
195319573–4 years
6
H.L. Campbell
Campbell, H.L.Air Marshal
H.L. Campbell
(1908–1987)
195719624–5 years
7
C.R. Dunlap
Dunlap, C.R.Air Marshal
C.R. Dunlap
(1908–2003)
196219641–2 years
Commander of Air Command
1
W.K. Carr
Carr, W.K.Lieutenant-General
W.K. Carr
(born 1923)
197519782–3 years
2
G.A. MacKenzie
MacKenzie, G.A.Lieutenant-General
G.A. MacKenzie
(1931–2012)
197819801–2 years
3
K.E. Lewis
Lewis, K.E.Lieutenant-General
K.E. Lewis
(c.1929–1992)
198019832–3 years
4
P.D. Manson
Manson, P.D.Lieutenant-General
P.D. Manson
(1934–2023)
198319851–2 years
5
D.M. McNaughton
McNaughton, D.M.Lieutenant-General
D.M. McNaughton
(born 1934)
198519860–1 years
6
L.A. Ashley
Ashley, L.A.Lieutenant-General
L.A. Ashley
(born 1937)
198619881–2 years
7
F.R. Sutherland
Sutherland, F.R.Lieutenant-General
F.R. Sutherland
(born 1942)
198919911–2 years
8
D. Huddleston
Huddleston, D.Lieutenant-General
D. Huddleston
199119931–2 years
9
G.S. Clements
Clements, G.S.Lieutenant-General
G.S. Clements
(born c.1941)
199319951–2 years
10
A.M. DeQuetteville
DeQuetteville, A.M.Lieutenant-General
A.M. DeQuetteville
199519981–2 years
Chief of the Air Staff
1
D.N. Kinsman
Kinsman, D.N.Lieutenant-General
D.N. Kinsman
(born c.1945)
1 April 199821 July 20002 years, 111 days
2
L.C. Campbell
Campbell, L.C.Lieutenant-General
L.C. Campbell
(born c.1947)
21 July 200018 July 20032 years, 362 days
3
K.R. Pennie
Pennie, K.R.Lieutenant-General
K.R. Pennie
(born c.1949)
18 July 200316 May 20051 year, 302 days
4
J.S. Lucas
Lucas, J.S.Lieutenant-General
J.S. Lucas
(born 1952)
16 May 2005[4]26 July 20072 years, 71 days
5
A. Watt
Watt, A.Lieutenant-General
A. Watt
26 July 2007[5]1 October 20092 years, 67 days
6
A. Deschamps
Deschamps, A.Lieutenant-General
A. Deschamps
1 October 2009[6]20111–2 years
Chief of the Air Force Staff and Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force
1
A. Deschamps
Deschamps, A.Lieutenant-General
A. Deschamps
201127 September 20120–1 years
2
Y. Blondin
Blondin, Y.Lieutenant-General
Y. Blondin
27 September 2012[7]9 July 20152 years, 285 days
3
M J Hood
Hood, M.J.Lieutenant-General
M J Hood
(born 1967)
9 July 2015[8]4 May 20182 years, 299 days
4
A D Meinzinger
Meinzinger, A.D.Lieutenant-General
A D Meinzinger
4 May 201812 August 20224 years, 100 days
5
Eric Kenny
Kenny, ELieutenant-General
Eric Kenny
12 August 2022Incumbent1 year, 154 days

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Commanders Canada's Air Force". Royal Canadian Air Force Association. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  2. Carr, Bill (December 20, 2005). "The genesis of Air Command". Royal Canadian Air Force. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  3. Canadian Navy, Air Force 'Royal' Again With Official Name Change Huffington Post, 15 August 2011
  4. Canada, Employment and Social Development (May 13, 2005). "Change of Command for Canada's Air Force". www.canada.ca.
  5. Canada, Employment and Social Development (September 29, 2009). "Change of Command for Canada's Air Force". www.canada.ca.
  6. Canada, Employment and Social Development (October 5, 2009). "New Commander for Canada's Air Force". www.canada.ca.
  7. Brewster, Murray (September 27, 2012). "New RCAF commander gives F-35 thumbs-up, but will accept government's choice" via www.theglobeandmail.com.
  8. "RCAF welcomes new commander".

References

  • Johnson, Vic. "Canada's Air Force Then and Now". Airforce magazine. Vol. 22, No. 3. 1998. ISSN 0704-6804.
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