Gen. Sir Nicholas Houghton will become the next Chief of the U.K. Defense Staff in July, taking over from Gen. Sir David Richards, the secretary of state for defense said yesterday.
Houghton became vice-chief of the defense staff in 2009. Previously, he was the senior British military representative in Iraq and deputy commanding general of the multi-national force in Iraq from 2005 to 2006.
A published report in the United Kingdom’s Guardian said Houghton has earned a reputation as a “Whitehall Warrior” and will make decisions on equipment, such as how many U.S.-made Joint Strike Fighters it can afford for one or two aircraft carriers at a time of budget restraint and force reduction.
Secretary of State for Defense Philip Hammond said, “I look forward to working with Sir Nicholas as we continue radical reforms to the Ministry of Defense and deliver Future Force 2020.”
Hammond also paid tribute to outgoing chief Richards for his leadership “during a period of significant change in the military environment while securing operational successes across the globe, including in Afghanistan and Libya.”