Tony Radakin
) | |
---|---|
Spouse(s) |
Louise Radakin (m. 1995) |
Children | 4 |
Other work | Lord High Constable of England (2023) |
Early life and education
Radakin was born on 10 November 1965 in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.[3][4][5] He moved to Portishead, Somerset, when he was five years old.[6] He was educated at St Brendan's College, then an all-boys state Catholic grammar school in Bristol.[7][3][6]
Radakin studied law at the University of Southampton,[5] graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1989.[3][7] He was sponsored through university by the Royal Navy.[8]
He continued his legal career alongside his naval service, and qualified as a
He later studied
Radakin gained his commission in the Royal Navy on 20 October 1990.[11][12] After a period watchkeeping on HMS Leeds Castle, he was navigating officer aboard HMS Charybdis and HMS Andromeda (1991–1992).[13] He was commanding officer of HMS Blazer from 1993 to 1995.[13] He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 November 1996,[14] and went on to become commanding officer of the frigate HMS Norfolk in 2003, commanding officer of the US/UK Iraqi Naval Transition Team in 2006, and commanding officer of the US/UK Combined Task Force Iraqi Maritime in 2010.[11] For this tour he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal by the President of the United States.[15]
Promoted to
Promoted to the rank of
In 2019, Radakin initiated a programme of reform across the Royal Navy under the banner of Royal Navy Transformation. The initiative encompassed increasing the UK's operational advantage in the North Atlantic, developing carrier strike operations using the newly constructed aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, increasing the Royal Navy's forward presence around the world, reforming the Royal Marines into the Future Commando Force and improving the Navy's use of technology and innovation.[27] Controversially, this also included a forty percent reduction in admirals across the Royal Navy and a forty percent cut in headquarters staff.[28]
Radakin was appointed
Chief of the Defence Staff
On 7 October 2021, it was announced that Radakin was to become Chief of the Defence Staff on 30 November 2021.[30] Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Radakin instead of the Ministry of Defence's preferred candidate, General Sir Patrick Sanders, due to Radakin's reputation as a reformer and Johnson's anticipation of future naval conflicts in the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific regions.[31][32] Radakin relinquished the position of First Sea Lord to Admiral Sir Ben Key on 8 November 2021.[33]
Radakin made his first Chief of Defence Staff speech to the Royal United Services Institute in December 2021. He stated that the security outlook for the UK was "far more complex and dangerous than at any time over the past 30 years" and that the geopolitical situation was in "a real sense of back to the future, with the return of the State as the central, indispensable feature of the international system."[34][35] Radakin also stated the UK military was at risk of looking "ridiculous" until it improved diversity and leadership in the armed forces.[36]
Radakin stated on 7 January 2022 that the UK faced a number of security challenges from Russia and that an attempt to damage underwater communication cables could be considered by the UK as an "act of war".[37][5] However, he also stated that the UK and Russia continue to test daily the telephone connection between the UK Ministry of Defence and the Russian Situation centre, which could be used "if urgent talks were needed to de-escalate an incident."[5]
On 11 February 2022, Radakin met with
During the
In July 2022, he said that "As military professionals, we see a relatively stable regime in Russia. President Putin has been able to quash any opposition. We see a hierarchy that is invested in President Putin and so nobody at the top has got the motivation to challenge President Putin. And that is bleak."[42]
In September 2022, Radakin paid tribute to Elizabeth II following her death.[43][44] He described the relationship between the Queen and the Armed Forces as "deeply personal" and that the Armed Forces would perform their final duty to the Queen by participating in her state funeral.[43][44]
On 19 October 2022, Radakin delivered the annual Lord Mayor of London Defence and Security Lecture in Mansion House, London.[45] He discussed the wider security situation in Europe, focusing on Ukraine and Russia.[45][46]
In light of the
Radakin served as
It was announced in February 2024 that Radakin would stay in post as CDS until Autumn 2025 after proving to be a key player in helping Ukraine in its fight against Russia.[49]
Personal life
In 1995, Radakin married. He lives in Hampshire with his wife, Louise, and their four sons (born between 1998 and 2005).[3][5] Radakin is also President of the Royal Navy Squash Association and the Armed Forces Tennis Association and the Vice Admiral of the Royal Naval Sailing Association.[50]
References
- ^ "No. 62310". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 2018. p. B3.
- ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ )
- ^ a b "Admiral Tony Radakin CB ADC". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
- ^ a b c d e f "Admiral Sir Tony Radakin: 'We check every day that the line to Russia works — but there isn't a chat'". The Times. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Most Famous Old Boys: Admiral Sir Antony David Radakin, KCB, ADC". Sancti Brendani. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ a b Sheridan, Danielle (7 October 2021). "Tony Radakin: The state school-educated boy from Oldham who 'changed how the Navy works'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ a b "New military chiefs appointed". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ 'RADAKIN, Rear Adm. Antony David', Who's Who 2016, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Rear Admiral Tony Radakin" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ "No. 52353". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 December 1990. p. 18701.
- ^ Who's Who 2022. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "No. 54637". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1996. p. 1.
- ^ "No. 59554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 2010. p. 18540.
- ^ "No. 59898". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 September 2011. p. 16983.
- ^ "Naval base commander seen off in style". Navy News. 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Ministry of Defence and tri-service senior appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ "No. 61071". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 December 2014. p. 23726.
- ^ "Fleet awards". Royal Navy. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ "Chief of Staff Joint Forces Command Visits The Rock". Your Gibraltar TV. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ "No. 62252". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 April 2018. p. 6366.
- ^ "Admirals" (PDF). Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ "No. 62310". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 2018. p. B3.
- ^ "New First Sea Lord appointment announced". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ "A 'generation of innovators' has been appointed to run the military in a shake-up of the top ranks of the Army, Navy and RAF". The Daily Telegraph. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ "First Sea Lord speech to Defence and Security Equipment International | Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B2.
- ^ "Admiral Sir Tony Radakin KCB ADC appointed new Chief of the Defence Staff". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ Parker, George (2 October 2021). "UK military chiefs battle to become next head of armed forces". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
- ^ Sheridan, Danielle (8 October 2021). "PM went against MOD to appoint Radakin". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
- ^ "Royal Navy welcomes new First Sea Lord". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. 8 November 2021.
- ^ "UK security outlook more dangerous now than at any time in past 30 years, warns new head of armed forces Admiral Sir Tony Radakin". Sky News. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Chief of the Defence Staff Speech to the Royal United Services Institute". Ministry of Defence. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Brown, Larisa. "Admiral Sir Tony Radakin: Improve diversity or we'll look ridiculous, urges new defence chief". The Times. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Russian submarines threatening undersea network of internet cables, says UK defence chief Sir Tony Radakin". Sky News. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Britain's most recent defence attaché in Moscow on the failings of Valery Gerasimov". The Economist. 5 March 2023.
- ^ "Putin victory in Ukraine 'no longer inevitable,' says head of Britain's Armed Forces". The Independent. 7 March 2022.
- ^ "Putin Made 'Catastrophic Misjudgments' in Ukraine: U.K. Military Official". Newsweek. 31 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Replacing UK's weapons stockpiles could take 'years', says head of armed forces". Independent. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ "Russia Has Lost 50,000 Soldiers In Ukraine, U.K. Military Chief Says". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 17 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Royal Navy to play special role in Queen's funeral". Plymouth Herald. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ a b "The Queen's military titles: What happens to the honours held by Elizabeth II after her death aged 96". iNews. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Mayor of London Defence & Security Lecture". UK GOV. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "British defence chief: Putin's nuclear rhetoric "deeply irresponsible"". Reuters. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "Army should not be used as 'ultimate backstop' in strikes, defence chief says". the Guardian. 18 December 2022.
- ^ "Roles to be performed at the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey". The Royal Family. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- )
- ^ "Admiral Tony Radakin CB ADC". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 February 2020.