Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)

Chief of the Defence Staff
Badge of the Ministry of Defence
Flag of the Chief of the Defence Staff
Incumbent Admiral Sir Tony Radakin since 30 November 2021
Ministry of Defence British Armed Forces
Abbreviation	CDS
Member of	Defence Council Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reports to	The Prime Minister Secretary of State for Defence
Nominator	Secretary of State for Defence
Appointer	The Monarch[1] on advice of the Prime Minister
Formation	1 January 1959
First holder	Marshal of the RAF Sir William Dickson
Deputy	Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff
Website	Official Website

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the British Armed Forces and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The chief of the defence staff is based at the Ministry of Defence and works alongside the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence, the ministry's senior civil servant. The Chief of Defence is the highest ranking officer to currently serve in the armed forces.

Constitutionally, the sovereign is the de jure commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. However, in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom de facto exercises the royal prerogative and provides direction of the Armed Forces through the Ministry of Defence's Defence Council, of which the chief of the defence staff is a member.

The current chief of the defence staff is Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who succeeded General Sir Nick Carter in November 2021. Chiefs of the defence staff are appointed on the recommendation of the secretary of state for defence to the prime minister, before being approved by the monarch.^[1][2]