Ian Townsend

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Ian Townsend
AVM Ian Townsend (cropped).jpg
Air Vice Marshal Townsend
Nickname"Cab" [1]
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Service years1992–present
Rank Air Vice Marshal
Commands No. 22 Group RAF
No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing
RAF Marham
Conflicts Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
War against the Islamic State
Awards Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service

Air Vice Marshal Ian Jon Townsend CBE is a senior Royal Air Force officer. He was the officer commanding RAF Marham from 2017 to 2019, the Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group RAF from May 2023 to November 2025, and currently serves as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.

RAF career

Townsend was commissioned into the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 30 July 1992. [2] He became station commander at RAF Marham in July 2017, [3] [4] commander of No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing at RAF Akrotiri in September 2019 and Assistant Chief of Staff, Capability Strategy at RAF Air Command in December 2021. [5] He took command of No. 22 Group RAF in May 2023, [6] before being appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in November 2025. [1]

Townsend was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in 2003 and appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2020 Birthday Honours. [7] [8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Air Vice-Marshal Ian 'Cab' Townsend". Royal Air Force. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "No. 53080". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 October 1992. p. 17528.
  3. ↑ "RAF Marham's new commander Group Capt "Cab" Townsend is thrilled to be back in the air". Eastern Daily Press. 2017-08-15. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  4. ↑ "RAF Marham Announcement". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  5. ↑ "Ian Townsend CBE". IT²EC 2024. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  6. ↑ "No 22 Group". 2023-10-02.
  7. ↑ "No. 57100". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 2003. p. 9.
  8. ↑ "No. 63135". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B8.
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