Air Commodore Nick Knight OBE (Subject to Confirmation)

Deputy Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group Royal Air Force

Air Cdre Knight was born and grew up in north Nottinghamshire. He completed a German and Accounting degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, during which he spent a year teaching English as a Foreign Language in Baden Wűrtenberg. On graduating, Knight worked as a trainee accountant with Price Waterhouse in London, surviving a year before seeking challenges beyond double entry bookkeeping. Knight commissioned into the British Army in 1996. A Cavalry attachment on Challenger tanks preceeded flying training and a first posting to 4 Regt Army Air Corps on Lynx helicopters. He secured an exchange tour at RAF Odiham on the Chinook Force – initially temporary, made permanent by transfer of Service in 2004. A series of operational deployments followed, both conventional and in support of UK Special Forces, before promotion to Wg Cdr in 2011, attending ACSC, and a tour as Chief of Staff No.1 Group. Knight commanded a Chinook Sqn (27 Sqn) between 2013 and 2016, which included time as DCOM JAG on Op HERRICK, re-deploying the Sqn on Op TORAL and leading a detachment in support of the Nepalese earthquake for Op LAYLAND; he was awarded an OBE for his time in command. Promotion to Gp Capt followed alongside his selection as PSO/CAS: Knight supported CAS for a fascinating tour which included a Defence Review, the Modernising Defence Programme and the RAF’s Centenary. Before returning to command the Chinook/N3 Forces, Knight completed a Flying Hours Optimisation study and HCSC. His time as Stn Cdr RAF Odiham was dominated by enduring deployments in the Middle East and Africa and driving a generational re-set to Force structures - all set against the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID. Knight was subsequently appointed Assistant Head Delivery, Combat Aviation Programmes, primarily responsible for E Model Apache and Gazelle replacement. Promotion to Air Cdre in 2023 saw Knight selected for a new role as Deputy Air Officer Commanding No.2 Group with oversight of the RAF’s ‘Airbases and Enablers’. Knight latterly returned to Combat Aviation Programmes as Head and takes responsibility for the Army’s helicopter portfolio, including New Medium and H-47ER programmes. Married to Rebecca with 2 daughters, Air Cdre Knight maintains a keen interest in foreign languages, can be occasionally seen on his motorbike (much to Rebecca’s annoyance), enjoys running, reading and swimming and is an avid Mansfield Town Football Club fan.