Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)

Chief of the Air Staff
Badge of the Royal Air Force
Ensign of the Royal Air Force (CAS Command Flag)
Incumbent Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton since 2 June 2023
Ministry of Defence Royal Air Force
Style	Air Chief Marshal
Abbreviation	CAS
Member of	Defence Council Air Force Board Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reports to	Chief of the Defence Staff
Nominator	Secretary of State for Defence
Appointer	Prime Minister Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council[1]
Term length	3 Years
Formation	3 January 1918
First holder	Major General Sir Hugh Trenchard
Deputy	Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Website	Official website

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) is the professional head of the Royal Air Force and a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Air Force Board. The post was created in 1918 with Major General Sir Hugh Trenchard as the first incumbent. The current and 30th Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, who succeeded Sir Michael Wigston on 2 June 2023.^[2]