THE UNIT

The A4 Force Elements falls under the Support Force.  It consists of the RAF’s specialist expeditionary logistics and engineering units supporting operations and exercises, and comprises of six principal elements:

Although headquartered at RAF Wittering, personnel are located on other stations of the UK and are ready to deploy across the globe at short notice.

Location

RAF Wittering, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE8 6HB.

Air Officer Commanding

Group Captain Nicholas J A Huntley MA FCILT RAF

Group Captain Nick Huntley was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as a Logistics (formerly Supply) Officer in 1994 and after initial branch training, completed his first appointment at RAF Valley.  After 20 months, he secured a place on the Officers’ Movements Course.

Following completion of the Officers’ Movements Course, a short VIP air movements tour at RAF Northolt was followed by a 6-month operational detachment to Split, Croatia as a Duty Air Movements Officer.  What now transpires to be a long-standing relationship with 1 Air Mobility Wing (formerly UKMAMS) saw Huntley complete an initial tour as a Team Leader and then a 2-year appointment as the Roving RAF Movements Liaison Officer. Subsequent selection for Aide de Camp duties saw him appointed as the ADC to the United Kingdom Military Representative to NATO and the EU at HQ NATO, Brussels.

In 2002 he returned to the UK to the newly formed HQ 1 Group managing Tornado deployable stores before a short spell in the Movements Role Office and A4 Exercise Plans.  Promotion to Squadron Leader was achieved in 2005 and he was subsequently appointed as PSO to the Director Supply Chain Support and ADC to Air Officer Wales.

Following this, Huntley was seconded to NATO for 8 months to assist in organising NATO’s takeover of Kandahar Airfield from the US and the creation of NATO COMKAF.  Returning from Afghanistan, he was appointed as Officer Commanding 45 Mobile Air Movements Squadron, before moving to ACDS Logistic Operations; primarily focusing on International Logistics Engagement.

Huntley was promoted to Wing Commander and selected for Advanced Command and Staff College in September 2012 after which he was assigned to Permanent Joint Headquarters 4 Movements, responsible for maintaining operational airbridges with specific focus on the UK redeployment from Afghanistan. During this period, he also oversaw the airlift support to multiple UK deployments including support to Iraq, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Libya; a 6-month detachment to Eindhoven Airbase, Netherlands followed working with NATO on the enduring airlift support to Afghanistan.

He assumed Command of 1 Air Mobility Wing on 10th September 2015, completing the most enjoyable and fulfilling 2 years of his military career thus far.  Huntley moved to MOD Main Building Capability Strategy in September 2017, was promoted to Group Captain in July 2018 and assigned as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff A4 Operations and Plans at HQ Air.  In March 2020 he was selected to be Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff and in July 2021 was appointed the Commander of the A4 Force Elements and Deputy Commander of the RAF Support Force.

Huntley has seen operational service in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan, working in both National and NATO roles.

A keen lifetime sportsman, his focus remains on competing in Long-Distance Triathlons, representing Great Britain in Age-Group competitions for the past 5 years.  He lives with his wife Beth, an RAF Nurse and fellow triathlete.