Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

Alan David Richards, (born 1958) is a retired

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

officer who served as Chief of Defence Intelligence from 2012 to 2015.

Naval career

Richards joined the

in 1977.Vice Admiral Alan David Richards awarded Order of the Bath
Watford Observer, 18 June 2012 He became commanding officer of the

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

and then of the frigate in which he saw operational service during the

Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

. He went on to be Director of Force Development in 2002,

Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group The Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group, (COMUKCSG) is a senior British Royal Navy appointment which commands the UK Carrier Strike Group. COMUKCSG, a Commodore (Royal Navy), Commodore, commands a total of 65 personnel, and is headqua ...

in 2006,

Assistant Chief of Defence Staff The Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (ACDS) is a senior British military officer. There are a number of ACDS appointments and they are held by officers of two-star rank (rear admiral, air vice-marshal, or major general). They work in the Minist ...

(International Security Policy) in 2007 and then Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Resources and Plans) in 2009.Ministry of Defence and Senior Tri-service Appointments
He became Chief of Defence Intelligence in January 2012 on promotion to vice admiral. In the

2012 Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours List 2012 was released on 16 June 2012 in the United Kingdom, on 11 June 2012 in Australia on 4 June 2012 in New Zealand,Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

(CB). Richards retired from the Royal Navy on 7 May 2015.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Alan 1958 births Companions of the Order of the Bath Deputy lieutenants of Hertfordshire Living people Royal Navy vice admirals Royal Navy personnel of the Gulf War