Air Member for Materiel

The Air Member for Materiel is the senior Royal Air Force officer responsible for procurement matters: he is a member of the Air Force Board.[1] He is in charge of all aspects of procurement and organisation for RAF regular, reserve and civilian staffs worldwide.

History

The post which was created in 1923 was originally known as the Air Member for Supply and Research; it was renamed Air Member for Supply and Organisation in 1936 and Air Member for Logistics in 1994.[2] Since 2007 it has been the Air Member for Materiel.[2]

Holders of the post

Holders of the post have included:[1][2]
Air Member for Supply and Research

• 1923 Air Vice-Marshal G H Salmond
• December 1926 Air Marshal J F A Higgins
• September 1930 Air Marshal H C T Dowding

Air Member for Supply and Organisation

• 14 January 1935 Air Vice Marshal C L N Newall
• 1 September 1937 Air Vice Marshal W L Welsh
• 15 January 1940 Air Marshal Sir Christopher Courtney
• 14 September 1945 Air Marshal Sir Leslie Hollinghurst
• 1 September 1948 Air Chief Marshal Sir George Pirie
• 2 March 1950 Air Chief Marshal Sir William Dickson
• 1 September 1952 Air Chief Marshal Sir John Whitworth-Jones
• 1 May 1954 Air Chief Marshal Sir Donald Hardman
• 1 January 1958 Air Chief Marshal Sir Walter Dawson
• 8 April 1960 Air Marshal Sir Walter Merton
• 1963 Air Marshal Sir John Baker-Carr (acting)
• 1 August 1963 Air Marshal Sir John Davis
• 2 August 1966 Air Marshal Sir Charles Broughton
• 4 September 1968 Air Marshal Sir Thomas Prickett
• 1 December 1970 Air Marshal Sir Neil Wheeler
• 27 March 1973 Air Marshal Sir Anthony Heward
• 3 June 1976 Air Marshal Sir Alasdair Steedman
• 28 September 1977 Air Marshal Sir John Nicholls
• 1 December 1978 Air Marshal Sir Rex Roe
• 4 July 1981 Air Chief Marshal Sir John Rogers
• 1 January 1983 Air Marshal Sir Michael Knight
• 7 February 1985 Air Marshal Sir Michael Armitage
• 27 November 1987 Air Marshal Sir Patrick Hine
• 5 August 1988 Air Marshal Sir Brendan Jackson

Air Member for Logistics

• 1 April 1994 Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Alcock
• 8 March 1996 Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison
• 11 July 1997 Air Marshal Sir Colin Terry
• 30 April 1999 Air Marshal Malcolm Pledger
• 3 September 1999 Air Vice-Marshal Graham Skinner

Note: From 1999 to 2004 the post was vacant

• 2004 Air Vice-Marshal Barry Thornton
• January 2006 Air Vice-Marshal David Rennison

Air Member for Materiel

• April 2007 Air Marshal Sir Barry Thornton
• May 2009 Air Marshal Kevin Leeson
• October 2012 Air Marshal Simon Bollom
• April 2016 Air Marshal Julian Young
• September 2020 Vice Admiral Richard Thompson

References

1. Barrass, M. B. "Air Council Appointments". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation.
2. Mackie, Colin. "Senior Royal Air Force Appointments" (PDF). gulabin.com.