{{Short description|Officer of the British Royal Air Force}} {{Infobox military person | name = Ian Townsend | image = AVM Ian Townsend (cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Air Vice Marshal Townsend | nickname = "Cab"<ref name="ACAS"/> | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = Royal Air Force | service_years = 1992–present | rank = Air Vice Marshal | unit = | commands = No. 22 Group RAF<br/>No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing<br/>RAF Marham | battles = Iraq War<br/>War in Afghanistan<br/>War against the Islamic State | awards = Commander of the Order of the British Empire<br/>Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service | relations = | other_work = }} Air Vice Marshal '''Ian Jon Townsend''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|CBE}} is a senior Royal Air Force officer. He was the officer commanding RAF Marham from 2017 to 2019, the Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group RAF from May 2023 to November 2025, and currently serves as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.

==RAF career== Townsend was commissioned into the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 30 July 1992.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=53080|page=17528|supp=y|date=19 October 1992}}</ref> After initial pilot training, he was assigned to No. IV Squadron, which then flew the Harrier GR7.<ref name="bio defenceiq">{{cite web |title=Military Flight Training: Air Vice-Marshal Ian Townsend |url=https://www.defenceiq.com/events-military-flight-training/speakers/air-vice-marshal-ian-townsend |website=Defence iQ |access-date=8 May 2026 |language=en}}</ref> He became a Qualified Weapons Instructor in 2000.<ref name="bio defenceiq" /> With his squadron he undertook tours in the Balkans (1998), Iraq War in 2003, and during the War in Afghanistan.<ref name="bio ACAS">{{cite web |title=Assistant Chief of the Air Staff |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-commanders/assistant-chief-of-the-air-staff/ |website=Royal Air Force |access-date=8 May 2026 |language=en-gb}}</ref>

He became station commander at RAF Marham in July 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-08-15 |title=RAF Marham’s new commander Group Capt "Cab" Townsend is thrilled to be back in the air |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20828059.raf-marhams-new-commander-group-capt-cab-townsend-thrilled-back-air/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Eastern Daily Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=RAF Marham Announcement|url=https://twitter.com/RAF_Marham/status/892048473830424576 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}</ref> He was then commander of No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing at RAF Akrotiri in September 2019, before becoming Assistant Chief of Staff, Capability Strategy at RAF Air Command in December 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ian Townsend CBE |url=https://www.itec.co.uk/speakers/ian-townsend-cbe |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=IT²EC 2024 |language=en-GB}}</ref> He took command of No. 22 Group RAF in May 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-02 |title=No 22 Group |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/groups/no-22-group/}}</ref> In November 2025, he was appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.<ref name="ACAS">{{cite web|title=Air Vice-Marshal Ian 'Cab' Townsend|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-commanders/assistant-chief-of-the-air-staff/|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=12 December 2025}}</ref>

Townsend was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in 2003 and appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2020 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=57100|page=9|supp=y|date=31 October 2003}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63135|page=B8|supp=y|date=10 October 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Maddison}} {{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group|years=2023–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Ian Sharrocks}} |- {{s-bef|before=Suraya Marshall}} {{s-ttl|title=Assistant Chief of the Air Staff|years=2025–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Ian}} Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Living people Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service Category:Royal Air Force air vice-marshals Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the Iraq War Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Year of birth missing (living people)