ACM Peach Picture source: MoD
Vigilance can report that Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach last week took up post as the first Commander of Joint Forces Command (JFC).
The creation of the Joint Forces Command was a key recommendation in Lord Levene’s Defence Reform report, which was published in June as part of a wider package of comprehensive reform. In his new role, Air Chief Marshal Peach is responsible for commanding and generating allocated joint capabilities.
Vigilance learnt that Air Chief Marshal Peach will initially focus on establishing the Joint Forces Command at initial operating capability by April 2012, before delivering full capability by April 2013.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said: “I am delighted to be the first Commander of the Joint Forces Command. The strategic purpose of the Joint Forces Command is to optimise the delivery of joint capabilities. This is something I have been passionate about throughout my career and I relish the opportunity to Command people drawn from across defence and deliver change in this area. I will work closely with the Single Services in order to generate the right enablers and support for effective joint capability – today, tomorrow and in the future.”
Whilst Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “As a significant part of the work underway to reform Defence, the Joint Forces Command will help deliver effective, affordable defence of the UK and her interests. As deployments for Afghanistan and Libya have shown, our Armed Forces are often at their most capable when they are operating together. The Joint Forces Command has a vital role to play in ensuring this coherence for both current and potential future operations. I look forward to working with Air Chief Marshal Peach as he leads this new Command.”
BRIEFS ON JFC
1) Lord Levene’s Defence Reform report into the structure and management of the Ministry of Defence recommended the creation of a Joint Forces Command (JFC) to manage and deliver specific joint capabilities and to take the lead on joint warfare development.
2) An Implementation Team has been established and work is ongoing to deliver the JFC at Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in April 2012, by then a small headquarters will be in place and the first tranche of organisations will have transferred to the new JFC Top Level Budget.
3) The design of the JFC is being led by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Peach, and the Defence Reform Unit, in conjunction with the wider implementation of the new Defence operating model set out by Lord Levene.
4) The Defence Secretary announced the appointment of Air Chief Marshal Peach to the post of Commander Joint Forces Command by Written Ministerial Statement on 15 September 2011.
Biography of Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach was born in 1956 in the West Midlands. He was educated at Aldridge Grammar School, the University of Sheffield (BA), University of Cambridge (MPhil), RAF Staff College and the Joint Services Command and Staff College (HCSC). He holds two honorary Doctorates from Kingston University and University of Sheffield.
Commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1977, he flew Canberras in the photographic reconnaissance role prior to three successive tours on Tornado GR1 in the UK and Germany, qualifying as a weapons and electronic warfare instructor. He commanded IX (Bomber) Squadron at RAF Brüggen in Germany 1994-1996. Staff tours include personal staff officer to the Deputy Commander and Commander-in-Chief in RAF Germany, Executive Officer to Commander Second Allied Tactical Air Force and Director Defence Studies Royal Air Force.
Operational service includes Belize, Hong Kong and Germany in the 1980s, Deputy Commander British Forces in Turkey (Op Warden), UK Head Military Coordination Centre Zakho (Iraq), Detachment Commander in Saudi Arabia (Op Jural), Commander British Forces in Italy (Op Engadine), Air Commander (Forward) in HQ KFOR on Kosovo and Deputy Senior British Military Adviser in US HQ Central Command 2001-2002.
He commanded the Air Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington from 2000 to 2003, was Director General Intelligence Collection in the Ministry of Defence 2003-2006 and Chief of Defence Intelligence and Deputy Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee 2006-2009. He held the appointment of Chief of Joint Operations at PJHQ(UK) from March 2009 to November 2011 before assuming his current role as Commander Joint Forces Command in December 2011.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach is married with two children. He is Honorary Colonel of the Joint Service Signal Unit (Volunteers), President of IX (Bomber) Squadron Association, President of Combined Services and RAF Rugby League, senior mentor to Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron and Patron of the Sector Operations Museum at RAF Digby. His interests include poor skiing, worse golf, better cooking and a passion for military history