Air Marshal Sir Gerard Michael David Mayhew, KCB, CBE (born 15 February 1969) is a senior Royal Air Force officer, who served as Deputy Commander Operations, Headquarters Air Command between May 2019 and August 2022.
Sir Gerry Mayhew | |
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![]() Air Marshal Mayhew in 2019 | |
Born | Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, England | 15 February 1969
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1988–present |
Rank | Air Marshal |
Commands held | No. 1 Group (2016–18) RAF Leuchars (2013–14) No. 13 Squadron RAF (2007–09) |
Battles/wars | Iraq War |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Mayhew was born on 15 February 1969 in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, (now in the West Midlands), England. He was educated at St Benedict's Catholic High School, a voluntary aided Catholic school in Alcester, Warwickshire, and at Alcester Grammar School, a grammar school in Alcester.[1]
Mayhew was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 28 July 1988 as an acting pilot officer.[2] He served as an air traffic control officer from 1988 to 1990.[1] In 1990, he trained as a pilot and became a Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI).[1] His early career as a pilot was spent flying the Jaguar and Tornado, and he has more than 3000 flying hours.[3] From 2007 to 2009, he served as Officer Commanding No. 13 Squadron RAF.[1]
In January 2013, Mayhew was appointed Air Officer Scotland and Officer Commanding RAF Leuchars.[3] One of his main duties was to oversee the transfer of Leuchars, then an RAF station, to the British Army as a barracks; this was finalised in March 2015. He stepped down as Air Officer Scotland on 17 November 2014.[4] From April 2015 to April 2016, he was a member of the Strategic Defence and Security Review Team in the Cabinet Office.[5] He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours.[6] On 28 April 2016 was promoted to air vice marshal and appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group.[7]
In August 2018, Mayhew succeeded Air Vice Marshal Michael Wigston as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.[8] In May 2019, he became Deputy Commander Operations, Headquarters Air Command and was promoted to air marshal.[9] Mayhew was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2022 New Year Honours.[10][11]