Joe French
| Sir Joseph Charles French | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 July 1949 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1967–2007 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held |
RAF Strike Command (2006–07) Personnel and Training Command (2003–06) Chief of Defence Intelligence (2000–03) RAF Odiham (1989–91) No. 7 Squadron |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Joseph Charles French, KCB, CBE, ADC (born 15 July 1949), often known as Sir Joe French is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer who was the last Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command (2006–07)
French joined the RAF in 1967 and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying Wessex, Puma and Chinook. Postings included Sharjah, Hong Kong and Germany. He was commanding officer of No. 7 Squadron (Chinook) at RAF Odiham, where he was later station commander (1989–91).
He attended the RAF Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies. Staff postings included aide-de-camp to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command. He served on the staff of the Central Trials and Tactics Organisation, and was Head of the RAF Presentation Team.
French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties, and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy), before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection. He was Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) from 2000, and it was while he was CDI that the controversial September Dossier was drafted which attempted to assess the state of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. In April 2003 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command and Air Member for Personnel. and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command in 2006.
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