Outgoing RAF chief thanks personnel and families in final message to service
Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston has thanked personnel and their families in his final message as head of the Royal Air Force.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) is stepping down and will be replaced by Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, who will become the first non-pilot to lead the RAF.
In his final message, ACM Wigston thanked "regulars, reserves, civil servants, our families and our industry partners" for their service over the past four years.
The RAF chief said "despite Covid, we did not stop", highlighting the hard work of personnel in the UK and abroad.
Looking to the future, ACM Wigston spoke of how the service is set for its "second century" with "an established Space Command; the introduction of new aircraft, systems and equipment; innovation and modernisation across the service; a pioneering approach to sustainable air operations".
Describing the next generation RAF as "exciting", Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston signed off his final message by stating he is leaving the service "in the best possible hands" with its new CAS.
It comes as service life satisfaction among RAF personnel has dropped to its lowest level since attitudes were first surveyed in 2007.
Results from the UK Regular Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey 2023 show satisfaction with service life across the military has fallen for the second year in a row.
The Royal Air Force also says it will "not shy away from the challenges" of creating a service that recruits people "from every part of the UK".
It follows reports there was pressure on recruitment officers to improve diversity within the RAF's ranks.
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