The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) of the Royal Air Force is responsible for delivering the RAF Strategy through people, equipment, digital, training, infrastructure and support to ensure the Service can deliver air and space power for the nation and project power and influence around the World.
Air Marshal Lloyd joined the RAF in September 1991, having gained a First-Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manchester University. Following specialist Engineer Officer training, he worked on Hercules C-130s and the Tornado GR1/4 aircraft at RAF Brüggen, TTTE RAF Cottesmore and 14 Sqn, RAF Lossiemouth, which included overseas exercises and several detachments to the Gulf.
A role developing recruitment, training and employment policy for RAF Engineer Officers preceded Advanced Command and Staff College, and then a posting to HQ Air Command as SO1 Planning Round (PR), where he developed and co-ordinated the £16bn Air Domain PR bid. In August 2009, he took up the post of Officer Commanding Engineering and Logistics Wing at RAF Marham, where, as the Station’s Chief Engineer, he was responsible for the airworthiness of the Unit’s 4 operational squadrons of Tornado aircraft. He oversaw RAF Marham’s first deployment to Afghanistan, and was the engineering lead for the preparation, generation and deployment of the GR4 contribution to operations under Op Ellamy.
In August 2011, he was posted to the Ministry of Defence where he provided MoD Senior Management and Ministers with specialist advice on air, space and cyber issues, as well as leading on the coordination of the Defence equipment procurement and support plans. Promoted to Group Captain in September 2012, he took up the post of Chief Engineer and Type Airworthiness Authority within the Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Project Team at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). In that role he supported Reaper on Op Herrick and Op Shader, brought Watchkeeper and Scan Eagle into Service with the British Army and Royal Navy respectively and authorised the flight-testing of Taranis, a UCAS demonstration vehicle and the high-altitude Zephyr UAS.
In August 2016, he was promoted to Air Commodore and took up the post of Head Typhoon Delivery Team in DE&S, where he was responsible for the capability development and in-Service support of the Typhoon and the Battle of Britain aircraft. As well as supporting Typhoon operations on Op Shader, he successfully led the major international upgrade programme to integrate three new weapon types and two major mission system upgrades on Typhoon through Project Centurion. This £487M programme was delivered into operational service two years ahead of schedule and £62M under budget, gaining the BAE Systems Chairman's Gold Award and Minister for Defence Procurement's Acquisition Excellence Awards overall winner in 2019.
In January 2021, he was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal and took up the role as Director Support and the Chief Engineer of the RAF, where he was responsible for the policy, strategy and capability development for all aspects of support in the RAF. He was also appointed Head of Profession for Cyberspace, Engineering and Logistics, encompassing approximately 50% of the RAF trained strength.
Air Marshal Paul Lloyd was appointed as the interim Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) in September 2023.
During his time in the RAF, Air Marshal Lloyd has gained a MSc from the University of Oxford in Major Programme Management, a Master’s Degree in Defence Administration from Cranfield University and an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London. As a Chartered Engineer, he is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, where he actively promotes aerospace engineering across universities, industry and government. Air Marshal Lloyd is married with 2 children; his hobbies include gardening, walking and skiing. He was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020.
