Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force

Most senior enlisted rank appointment of the Royal Air Force

Warrant Officer of the
Royal Air Force

WORAF insignia

Incumbent
Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam

since April 2023

Ministry of Defence
Style| Warrant Officer
Abbreviation| WORAF
Reports to| Chief of the Air Staff
Appointer| Air Force Board
Term length| Not fixed,
typically 2–3 years
Formation| May 1996; 28 years ago (1996-05)
First holder| WO Greg Dutton
Website| Official website

The Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF), previously known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer (CASWO), is the senior Royal Air Force (RAF) appointment for a warrant officer (WO), and therefore the most senior non-commissioned appointment in the RAF.[1] The person holding this military appointment advises the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on matters concerning airmen and airwomen of the RAF.[1][2] The post was created in May 1996; 28 years ago (1996-05), as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer.[1][3] The post was re-titled Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF) on 1 July 2021; 3 years ago (2021-07-01), and whilst continuing to report directly to the Chief of the Air Staff, the scope of the WORAF was widened to 'work for the entirety of the RAF'.[4] The current WORAF is WO Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam, who was appointed in April 2023; 1 year ago (2023-04).[5][6] As of 2023[update], including the incumbent, there has been a total of eleven personnel in this appointment.

The Royal Navy equivalent is the Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy (WORN, previously Warrant Officer of the Naval Service, WONS),[7] and in the Royal Marines the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major. The British Army's recent equivalent is the Army Sergeant Major (previously known as Sergeant Major of the Army).[8]

## List of holders

[edit]

no. | portrait  | post holder
(birth – death) | term of office  | Chief of the Air Staff | ref.

|
|
|
|
|

took
office | left
office | time in
office
Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer (CASWO)
1 |  | Greg Dutton
MBE, BEM | May 1996 | January 1998 | 1 year, 8 months | Sir Michael Graydon
Sir Richard Johns |
2 |  | Jim Andrews
MBE, BEM | January 1998 | January 2000 | 2 years | Sir Richard Johns |
3 |  | René Michael Stuart
MBE | January 2000 | May 2003 | 3 years, 4 months | Sir Richard Johns
Sir Peter Squire |
4 |  | Robert 'Bob' Loughlin
MBE | May 2003 | November 2006 | 3 years, 6 months | Sir Jock Stirrup
Sir Glenn Torpy | [9]
5 |  | Lyndsay Morgan
MBE | November 2006 | July 2009 | 2 years, 8 months | Sir Glenn Torpy | [2]
6 |  | Gary Wilcox
MBE | July 2009 | February 2012 | 2 years, 7 months | Sir Stephen Dalton | [2][3]
7 |  | Graeme Spark
MBE | February 2012 | October 2014 | 2 years, 8 months | Sir Stephen Dalton
Sir Andrew Pulford | [10]
8 |  | Clive Martland
MBE
(born 1968) | October 2014 | October 2016 | 2 years | Sir Andrew Pulford
Sir Stephen Hillier | [1]
9 |  | Jon Crossley | October 2016 | October 2019 | 3 years | Sir Stephen Hillier
Sir Michael Wigston | [1]
10 |  | Jake Alpert
MBE | October 2019 | July 2021 | 1 year, 9 months | Sir Michael Wigston | [1][11]
Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF)
10 |  | Jake Alpert
MBE | July 2021 | April 2023 | 1 year, 9 months | Sir Michael Wigston | [1][4]
11 |  | Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam[6] | April 2023 | incumbent | 1 year, 5 months | Sir Michael Wigston
Sir Richard Knighton | [5]

## See also

[edit]

* United Kingdom portal

* Template: RAF Other Ranks — table of all non-commissioned ranks and insignia of the Royal Air Force, including the WORAF
* Warrant Officer of the Air Force — equivalent in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
* Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force — equivalent in the United States Air Force (USAF)
* Sergeant Major of the Air Force — equivalent in the South African Air Force (SAAF)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g "Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer". RAF.MoD.uk. Royal Air Force. 2018. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2019.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. ^ a b c Woods, Lesley, ed. (27 July 2009). "Welsh Warrant Officer steps down from top job". RAF.MoD.uk. Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
3. ^ a b "RAF Halton hosts the Chief of the Air Staff's conference for Warrant Officers". RAF.MoD.uk. RAF Halton. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2010. "The conference has taken place annually for the last 12 years, since the post of Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer (CASWO) was created."
4. ^ a b "Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force". RAF-FF.org.uk. Royal Air Force Families Federation. RAF.MoD.uk. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
5. ^ a b "Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force". RAF.MoD.uk. Royal Air Force. 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
6. ^ a b 1st Lt. Charles Rivezzo (24 January 2023). Readout of STARCOM Senior Leaders' travel to the United Kingdom (JPG) (photograph-description). RAF High Wycombe: United States Air Force. 230125-F-OR751-0003. Retrieved 31 August 2023. "Warrant Officer Subby Subramaniam, command warrant officer of U.K. Space Command, ... pose for a photo during a visit to Headquarters, U.K. Space Command at RAF High Wycombe"
7. ^ "Warrant Officer in a class of his own". RoyalNavy.MoD.uk. Royal Navy. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
8. ^ Jones, Bruce (1 February 2015). "CGS outlines new British Army senior posts amid culling of generals". Janes.com. IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015.
9. ^ "Bob's proud to protect the crown jewels". IpswichStar.co.uk. Ipswich Star, Archant Community Media Ltd. 4 September 2007. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
10. ^ Gray, Mike, ed. (1 June 2013). "Airing issues with the boss" (PDF). Navy News. No. 707\. HMS Nelson, Portsmouth: RoyalNavy.MoD.uk, Royal Navy. p. 37. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
11. ^ @ChiefofAirStaff (4 October 2019). "Thank you WO Jon Crossley. A brilliant 3 years as Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer. Welcome WO Jake Alpert" (Tweet) - via Twitter.

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