Admiral Sir Tony Radakin bids farewell to a stellar 40-year career in Defence

As CDS, Adm Radakin served as the professional head of the UK’s Armed Forces, military strategic commander, and principal military adviser to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Defence.

To mark his departure, Adm Radakin and his family embarked on a symbolic journey up the River Thames aboard HMS Blazer, a P2000 vessel he once commanded.

The occasion was hosted by one of the Royal Navy’s most junior commanders, Lieutenant Jack Dilworth, and included the raising of Tower Bridge in Adm Radakin’s honour, a fitting tribute to a leader who has guided the Armed Forces through a turbulent period in global security.

“It is a real privilege and honour to be able to celebrate Admiral Radakin’s retirement from the service, taking him back to remember where it all started in HMS Blazer,” said Lt Dilworth. “We hope he and his family looked back fondly on all his achievements as we escorted him along the Thames."

Adm Radakin’s tenure as CDS, the first naval officer to hold the position since Admiral Sir Michael Boyce 20 years ago, coincided with an extraordinary chapter in the nation’s history. His four years in post spanned four Prime Ministers, a General Election, the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and the accession of King Charles III. At the Coronation in May 2023, Adm Radakin made history as the first non-member of the aristocracy to hold the ancient office of Lord High Constable of England.

While his appointment as CDS reflected a maritime focus for the government of the day, Adm Radakin’s time in office was defined by the land war in Europe. In early 2022, he travelled to Moscow to confront his Russian counterpart, General Gerasimov, over the build-up of forces on Ukraine’s border. Following the Russian invasion, he played a pivotal role in rallying NATO nations to deliver military aid to Ukraine, including the significant expansion of UK-led training programmes.

Adm Radakin forged close relationships with Ukrainian Generals Zaluzhnyi and Syrski, frequently travelling between Kyiv, Washington, and Brussels to secure Western support. More recently, he and his French counterpart, General Thierry Burkhard, co-architected the Coalition of the Willing, a framework designed to support Ukraine in the event of a halt to the war.

Beyond Europe, Adm Radakin championed the UK’s global partnerships, working closely with defence chiefs in the Gulf region during the conflict between Israel, Iran, and its proxies. Earlier this year, he became one of the few senior Western leaders to meet with the head of the Chinese Armed Forces in Beijing. Under his leadership, the British Armed Forces responded to crises worldwide, including evacuating civilians from Sudan, striking Houthi forces in Yemen, protecting global trade in the Red Sea, and delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

A renowned reformer, Adm Radakin’s vision for modernising the Armed Forces is reflected in the recent Strategic Defence Review, which emphasises nuclear deterrence and technological innovation. Key measures include restoring a tactical nuclear role to the RAF, developing hybrid air wings for the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, and potentially doubling the size of the conventionally armed submarine fleet.

He served as First Sea Lord from June 2019 until early November 2021, during which time he instigated a renewed Royal Navy presence around the globe, secured an expanded shipbuilding programme and helped broker the AUKUS agreement between the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

Commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1990, the future admiral served in numerous command and staff appointments, both ashore and afloat, including HMS Blazer and the frigate HMS Norfolk, and in command of UK and international forces. He also served as watchkeeper in HMS Leeds Castle and as navigator in HMS Charybdis and Andromeda.

Operational tours included the Iran/Iraq Tanker War, security duties in the Falklands, NATO operations in the Adriatic, countering smuggling in Hong Kong and the Caribbean, and three tours in Iraq – each in command.

A qualified barrister with an MA in International Relations and Defence Studies, he is a graduate of the Higher Command and Staff Course and the London Business School’s Senior Executive Programme, and various international courses, principally in America.

Speaking on his last day as Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Radakin said: “My abiding reflection from my four years as CDS is the that the Armed Forces have stepped up to deliver all that was asked of them, at home and abroad. They are magnificent. Thank you to them, and their families, and the Civil Servants who support them.

“These are extraordinary times, but the United Kingdom remains safe through the commitment of everyone in Defence. Britain has been the beneficiary of a remarkable defence construct for the past 75 years, based on our status as a nuclear power, our membership of the world’s largest and strongest alliance – NATO - and our relationship with America. It is something to be celebrated, elevated, strengthened and preserved for the next 75 years.

“It is a wonderful surprise to be mark my final day as CDS by returning to my first command HMS Blazer. Her ship’s company are every bit as curious and excited as I was when I was in their position, and the future of the Service is in safe hands.

“Looking back over my 40 years in the Navy, I am more convinced than ever the Armed Forces offers an amazing career for young people today.  To all those at the start of their careers in the Royal Navy, Army and RAF, my message is to be bold, be ambitious, be demanding of yourselves and of your leadership, and always keep pushing to go further and faster.”

 Adm Radakin leaves behind a legacy of leadership, reform, and resilience, having steered the UK’s Armed Forces through a period of profound global and national change. His contributions will continue to shape the future of Defence for years to come.