Paul Godfrey (RAF officer)

Air Marshal Paul Alexander Godfrey, is a senior Royal Air Force officer, who served as the first commander of the United Kingdom Space Command.

Early life and education
Godfrey grew up in RAF Kenley, south of London. He was educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift, then an all-boys private school in the London Borough of Croydon. While at school, he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force, and gained his private pilot licence at 17.

Military career
Godfrey was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 9 May 1991. He served as a Harrier jump jet pilot. In 2006, while holding the rank of squadron leader, he was awarded the Air Medal by the president of the United States "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in Iraq". He became station commander at RAF Lossiemouth in November 2015.

In February 2021, it was announced that he would become the first Commander, United Kingdom Space Command. He took up the post on 8 March 2021 and was promoted to the rank of air vice-marshal. In December 2023, it was announced that he would take up the post of Director Capability at Strategic Command in June 2024. However, in June 2024, he instead took up the appointment of assistant chief of space operations for future concepts and partnerships with the United States Space Force and based at The Pentagon.

Godfrey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours.