AIR MARSHAL PAUL GODFREY

Air Marshal (09) Paul “Godders” Godfrey is the Assistant Chief of Space Operations for Future Concepts and Partnerships, United States Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, he is responsible for integrating allies and partners with the Space Force’s capability development strategy.

Godfrey joined the Royal Air Force in 1991 and has been a fighter pilot for most of his career. A Weapons Instructor on the Harrier and one of the first operational pilots on the Eurofighter Typhoon, he has flown on numerous operations and exercises with the RAF and undertook an exchange tour on the F-16 Fighting Falcon with the United States Air Force. He was also privileged to be a Spitfire and Hurricane pilot on the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Staff roles have included Typhoon requirements management at Defence Equipment and Support in Bristol, capability management and acquisition at the Ministry of Defence and F-35 operational programme management, leading the entry into service of the F-35B for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. He was also Head of Carrier Enabled Power Projection, integrating F-35B fighters and Crowsnest helicopters with Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. In 2020 Paul was Director of the 609th Air Operations Centre in Al Udeid, responsible for the planning and employment of coalition air and space power across the Middle East.

Godfrey has commanded as a Flight Commander on F-16 and Typhoon Squadrons, Officer Commanding Operations Wing at RAF Coningsby, a Typhoon Base Commander at RAF Lossiemouth and was the inaugural Commander of U.K. Space Command 2021-2024.

EDUCATION
1990 Graduated Trinity School on a Royal Air Force 6th Form Scholarship
1991 Initial Officer Training, RAF Cranwell
1992 Basic Fast Jet Training School, RAF Linton on Ouse
1993 Awarded RAF Wings, Advanced Flying Training School, RAF Valley
1995 Harrier Operational Conversion Unit
1997 Harrier Electronic Warfare Officer’s Course, 20 Squadron, RAF Wittering
1998 Harrier Qualified Weapons Instructor Course, 20 Squadron, RAF Wittering
2000 F-16 Short Course Graduate, 63rd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
2002 F-16 Instructor Pilot 55th FS, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2003 Intermediate Command and Staff Course, U.K. Defence Academy Shrivenham
2006 Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit, 29th Squadron, RAF Coningsby
2009 Advanced Command and Staff College, U.K. Defence Academy Shrivenham
2009 Master’s in Defence Studies, Kings College, London
2018 Defence Senior Leaders Programme, U.K. Defence Academy Shrivenham
2020 Advanced Defence Senior Leader’s Programme, U.K. Defence Academy Shrivenham
2020 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Windsor Leadership Programme, Windsor Leadership Trust

ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1991– May 1991, Officer Training, RAF Cranwell
2. June 1991–October 1991, Banked Operations Officer, RAF Benson
3. October 1991–August 1992, Basic Flying Training School, 1 FTS, RAF Linton-On-Ouse
4. September 1992–December 1992, Banked Operations Officer, 1 FTS, Linton-On-Ouse
5. January 1993–August 1993, Advanced Flying Training School, 234th Squadron/74th Squadron, RAF Valley
6. August 1993–August 1994, Banked Operations Officer, Empire Test Pilot School, RAF Boscombe Down
7. September 1994–November 1994, Advanced Flying Training Refresher, 74th Squadron, RAF Valley
8. December 1994–Pre-Harrier Conversion Helicopter Course, RAF Shawbury
9. January 1995–June 1995, Harrier Operational Conversion Unit, 20th Squadron, RAF Wittering
10. August 1995–July 1998, Harrier Pilot, IV(AC) Squadron, RAF Laarbruch, Germany
11. September 1996–November 1996, Harrier Electronic Warfare Instructors Course, RAF Wittering
12. July 1998–December 1998, Harrier Qualified Weapons Instructors Course, RAF Wittering
13. December 1998–March 1999, Harrier Qualified Weapons Instructor, IV(AC) Sqn, RAF Laarbruch
14. April 1999–January 2000, Instructor, Harrier Operational Conversion Unit, RAF Wittering
15. January 2000–August 2000, F-16 Short Course, 63rd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
16. September 2000–May 2003, F-16 Instructor Pilot, 55th FS, Shaw AFB, S.C.
17. August 2003–September 2005, Typhoon Requirements Manager, MOD Abbey Wood
18. September 2005–February 2006, Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit, 29th Squadron, RAF Coningsby
19. February 2006–August 2008, Typhoon Flight Commander, 3(F) Squadron, RAF Coningsby
20. September 2008–July 2009, Advanced Staff and Command College, Defence Academy Shrivenham
21. August 2009–November 2010, Typhoon Acquisition Manager, MOD, London
22. November 2010–December 2010, Typhoon Refresher Course, 29th Squadron, RAF Coningsby
23. December 2010–October 2013, Officer Commanding Operations Wing, RAF Coningsby
24. March 2011–May 2011, Chief of Staff, 121 Expeditionary Air Wing, Operation Ellamy, Gioia Del Colle, Italy
25. August 2013–September 2013, Commanding Officer, 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, Operation Luminous, RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
26. May 2011–September 2013, Fighter Pilot, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
27. November 2013–September 2015, Group Captain Lightning, RAF High Wycombe
28. October 2015–September 2017, Commanding Officer, RAF Lossiemouth
29. October 2017–May 2020, Head Carrier Enabled Power Projection, MOD, London
30. June 2020–December 2020, CAOC Director, 609th AOC, Al Udeid, Qatar
31. February 2021–June 2024, Commander United Kingdom Space Command, RAF High Wycombe
32. June 2024–present, Assistant Chief of Space Operations for Future Concepts and Partnerships, United States Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2009–August 2011, Typhoon Acquisition Manager, MOD, London
2. October 2017–May 2020, Head Carrier Enabled Power Projection, MOD, London
3. February 2021–June 2024, Commander United Kingdom Space Command

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
General Service Medal Balkans
General Service Medal Middle East
General Service Medal Operation Shader
United States Air Medal

OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
RAF Flying Badge (‘Wings’)
Harrier GR7
F-16 CJ
Typhoon FGR 4
Spitfire (Mk II, V, IX, XIV, XIX)
Hurricane Mk IIC

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Acting Pilot Officer (O1), May 1991
Pilot Officer (O1), November 1991
Flying Officer (O2), November 1993
Flight Lieutenant (O3), July 1997
Squadron Leader (O4), June 2003
Wing Commander (O5), August 2008
Group Captain (O6), November 2013
Air Commodore (O7), October 2017
Air Vice-Marshal (O8), February 2021
Air Marshal (O9), June 2024

(Current as of July 2024)