Kevin Leeson

Sir Kevin Leeson
Born (1956-06-11) 11 June 1956
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Air Force
Years of service 1974–2012
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held Air Member for Materiel (2009–12)
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Air Marshal Sir Kevin James Leeson, KCB, CBE, FREng[1] (born 11 June 1956) is a retired Royal Air Force engineer officer, whose final appointment was as Chief of Materiel – Air at the Defence Equipment and Support organisation, concurrently holding the appointments of Air Member for Materiel on the Air Force Board and Chief Engineer (RAF), at which point he was the most senior non-aircrew officer in the service.

Having been responsible for various aspects of engineering support to the Tornado aircraft and the introduction of the Eurofighter Typhoon into service, he held several senior appointments at the Ministry of Defence before taking up his final appointment in 2009. He retired from the RAF in October 2012.

Early life

Leeson was born on 11 June 1956. In 1977, he graduated from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology with a first class degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.[2]

RAF career

Leeson was commissioned as a University Cadet in September 1974,[3] being regraded to pilot officer in July 1977.[4] He was then promoted to flying officer in January 1978,[5] and flight lieutenant in October 1980.[6] Early in his career he was responsible for the first line servicing of Hercules and Tornado aircraft.[2] He was promoted to squadron leader in January 1986.[7]

He also spent time in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) planning the support of the Eurofighter Typhoon electrical and armament systems.[2] Following promotion to wing commander in January 1990[8] Leeson attended the Advanced Staff Course, then returned to the MOD to head the branch responsible for the support planning of the Typhoon's avionics, electrics and software, before commanding the Engineering Wing at RAF Marham.[2] In 1996 he moved to Headquarters Strike Command, being promoted to group captain in January 1997,[9] to manage the supply and engineering activities for the whole Tornado fleet, at that time comprising both ground attack / reconnaissance and fighter variants, spread across seven Main Operating Bases, and with detachments in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Falkland Islands.[2] After graduating from the 1999 course at the Royal College of Defence Studies, Leeson again returned to the MOD, now as Group Captain Air Resources and Plans.[2]

Leeson was appointed Head of Air Resources and Plans in 2000,[2] his promotion to air commodore following in July 2001.[10] He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2003 Birthday Honours List.[11] Following promotion to air vice marshal in September 2004,[12] Leeson was appointed Assistant Chief of Defence Staff – Logistics Operations.[2] He went on to be Assistant Chief of Defence Staff – Strategy and Plans in July 2007[13] and was promoted to air marshal and appointed Chief of Materiel – Air at Defence Equipment and Support in May 2009 joining the Air Force Board as Air Member for Materiel and Chief Engineer (RAF).[14]

Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2012 New Year Honours,[15] Leeson retired from the RAF in October that year.[16]

Later life

Leeson served as a member of the British Airways Board Safety Review Committee and went on to be Director of Military Affairs for Airbus UK and a senior adviser to Atkins.[17] He is a Vice Patron of the Combined Services Winter Sports Association and Chairman of the RAF Charitable Trust and President of the Royal International Air Tattoo.[2]

Personal life

Leeson became a Chartered Engineer in 1982 and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in 1997.[18] He was elected a Fellow[1] of the Royal Academy of Engineering[1] (FREng) in 2012.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "List of Fellows".
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "RAF biography – C of M Air (includes photo)". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46432. p. 12878. 16 December 1974. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47328. p. 11940. 20 September 1977. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47437. p. 608. 16 January 1978. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 48366. p. 15625. 10 November 1980. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50398. pp. 562–563. 13 January 1986. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 52005. pp. 73–75. 2 January 1990. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 54642. pp. 217–218. 6 January 1997. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56261. p. 7816. 3 July 2001. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56963. p. 7. 14 June 2003. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  12. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57401. p. 11243. 7 September 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 10/06 of 8 December 2006". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  14. ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 08/08 of 17 November 2008". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  15. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 60009. p. 2. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  16. ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 03/12 of 1 March 2012". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Kevin Leeson". Debrett. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  18. ↑ "People of Today – Kevin Leeson". Debretts. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  19. ↑ "New Fellows – Kevin Leeson (includes photo)". Royal Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
Military offices
Preceded by
J Connolly		 Head of Air Resources & Plans Ministry of Defence
2000–2004 		Succeeded by
Andrew Pulford
Preceded by
A J Smith		 Assistant Chief of Defence Staff – Logistics Operations
2004–2007 		Succeeded by
D Shouesmith
Preceded by
Timothy Laurence		 Assistant Chief of Defence Staff – Strategy & Plans
2007–2009 		Succeeded by
Alan Richards
Preceded by
Sir Barry Thornton		 Chief of Materiel – Air, Defence Equipment and Support
and Air Member for Materiel
2009–2012 		Succeeded by
Sir Simon Bollum
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