Air Commodore Kilvington was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1996 after graduating from Warwick University with an honours degree in Physics. Following Officer and Navigator training he was posted to the Tornado F3 Force where he completed several operational tours in the Middle East and the Falklands. Whilst operating Tornado he became a Qualified Weapons Instructor and a Qualified Tactics Instructor, later serving 2 years as a flight commander on the Operational Conversion Unit. Between 2014 and 2016 Kilvington commanded Number 8 Squadron, the UK’s E-3D Sentry unit, during which time it was committed to Coalition operations in the Middle East and NATO operations in Europe. He was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal by SACEUR for his leadership during this period.
In 2020, Kilvington returned to RAF Waddington as the Station Commander where he was responsible for 3000 service personnel, eight squadrons and the safe operation of seven UK Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance capabilities. In addition to his operational flying tours, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as an Air Advisor supporting a UK Task Force.
Kilvington has completed staff tours in the Ministry of Defence as a desk officer in Theatre Airspace Capability between 2008 and 2011, as the Middle East and Europe Desk Officer in the Operations Directorate and, most recently, as Assistant Head Force Development in Capability Strategy. In Air Warfare Centre roles, he was the Trials Programme Manager for the Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit and later commanded 92 Squadron (Tactics and Training) between 2013 and 2014.
In 2012, Kilvington attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course where he gained an MA in Defence Studies, specialising in military ethics. He also completed French language training in 2018 before spending 18 months in Paris as the RAF’s Air Liaison Officer to the French Air Force. He took up his current post as the UK’s National Military Representative to NATO in June 2022. Kilvington was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2023 New Year’s Honours list.
Married to Lois, a Logistics Director, they live with their two school-aged children and an excitable Cocker Spaniel. In his free time, he enjoys running, cycling and, at long last, watching the successes of Nottingham Forest Football Club.
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