Group Captain John Hetherington

Head of Enablement UK Space Command

John Hetherington enjoyed tours across a broad range of roles, including recruit training, infrastructure and personnel as a junior officer.

In 2016 he was promoted to wing commander and completed Advanced Staff training before being posted to MOD Infrastructure Capability. This involved supporting Ministerial announcements in Parliament as the lead officer on the Defence Estates Optimisation Programme. He was assigned to command Base Support Wing at RAF Brize Norton in 2019 during which he supported the operations of the Air Mobility Force during COVID-19 and the evacuation of personnel from Afghanistan as part of Op PITTING. Promoted to Group Captain in 2022, he was assigned as Deputy Head Space Enablement in UK Space Command with responsibility for RAF Fylingdales, workforce, training, cyber, engineering, safety and through-life capability management.

He has deployed on various operations; Op RESONATE in Saudi Arabia, Op TELIC in Iraq and he served in Afghanistan on Op HERRICK. John has a Masters in Defence Studies from Kings College London, is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development and a Fellow of CMI. He is Chairman of the RAF Officers’ Football Club, is a Director at the RAF FA and a Trustee of the Central Church of the RAF.