On 17th June 2026, Air Vice-Marshal Jamie Thompson CBE was named the new Commander of UK Space Command. He succeeded Major General Paul Tedman CBE. The change in leadership places Thompson at the head of the command during a period of growing capabilities and active operations. His appointment follows his role as Deputy Commander of UK Space Command, a position he took up in December 2024. The change in leadership places Thompson at the head of the command during a period of growing capabilities and active operations.
AVM Thompson brings broad experience in operational space activities to the role. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1997 as a Weapons Technician and later became a commissioned officer in 2003 as a Communications Electronics Engineering Officer. His background includes work in air defence, cyber operations, air-land integration, and intelligence. As an Air Commodore, he led the RAF Global Enablement, which covers six forces, before moving to the deputy commander position at UK Space Command.
The outgoing commander, Major General Paul Tedman, is retiring from the British Army after more than three decades of service in demanding environments. Before taking the reins at Space Command, General Tedman had been Deputy Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5) with U.S. Space Command. He said:
“It’s always a privilege to command, but to lead our joint space forces over such a crucial time in such an important domain has been the apogee of my career. The command has come of age on recent operations and accelerated delivery of space capability, and I leave confident that it is ready for the challenges ahead. AVM Thompson is a fantastic choice to succeed me, and I wish him every success.”
