David Walker

We are sad to announce that Air Marshal David Walker (32GE) passed away on the 18th June 2023. 
David completed flying tours in Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom, flying the Harrier and F/A-18 Hornet being promoted to squadron leader in 1987, and awarded the Air Force Cross in the following New Year Honours. Promoted to Wing Commander in 1993, he went on to command 1 Sqn, flying operational missions over Iraq and Bosnia, before becoming Military Assistant to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.
Promoted to Group Captain in 1997, he took command of RAF Cottesmore and the UK Harrier Force. In 2001 he was posted to HQ No. 3 Group, spending most of that tour deployed overseas supporting operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2002 New Year Honours. Promoted to Air Commodore in 2002, he was Assistant Chief of Staff J3 (Operations) in the Permanent Joint Headquarters with responsibility for the management of all United Kingdom expeditionary operations (with main focus on Operation Telic, the UK's contribution to the Iraq War).
Promoted to Air Vice Marshal and as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in October 2003, he became responsible for the detailed handling of overall RAF policy, relations with NATO and other allies and the “change agenda”, being closely involved in the Eurofighter/ Typhoon programme. In April 2005 he took command of No. 1 Group, with responsibility for the RAF's fast jet forces. In April 2006 he also assumed responsibility for the RAF Support Helicopter Force contribution to the UK Joint Helicopter Command.
In June 2007, he was promoted to Air Marshal and appointed Deputy Commander, Allied Air Component Command at Ramstein. In July 2010 he was appointed to co-lead the Joint US/NATO Ballistic Missile Defence Task Force to develop operational concepts. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2011 New Year Honours, and in March of that year he became Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum.