Air Commodore Sean Corbett

Biography

Air Commodore Sean Corbett commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1988, directly into the Photographic Interpretation Branch (now Intelligence), his first tour was as an analyst at the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (JARIC) followed by Command of the Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre, Belize. He then deployed in support of the UK C-130 fleet in Operation GRANBY and subsequently in Bosnia, Somalia and Central Africa.

Following this tour he commanded the Special Projects Flight in JARIC before an out-of-specialist appointment as flight commander at the RAF College Cranwell, mentoring and training officer cadets. On promotion to squadron leader he deployed to the USCIF in Riyadh in 1997 before returning to the UK’s rapid reaction deployable HQ (JFHQ) as the lead targeteer. This tour was defined by multiple deployments to the NATO CAOC in Vicenza to support planning for Operation ALLIED FORCE before deploying as the Targets Cell Chief during the operation, for which he was awarded an MBE.

From JFHQ he conducted a short tour as Officer Commanding Reconnaissance Intelligence and Geographic Centre (Northern Ireland) in support of counter-terrorist operations before being promoted and selected for the UK Advance Command and Staff Course. Following this he returned to PJHQ within the Joint Warfare and Training Centre before again being short-toured to head up the Air Warfare Centre’s reach-back intelligence support for the war-fighting phase of Operation TELIC.

On promotion to Group Captain in 2006, he was selected to command the Joint Service Signals Organisation based at RAF Digby in Lincolnshire, responsible for nine Joint and Combined units dispersed globally. In 2008 he was posted to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE) as the Principal Staff Officer to DSACEUR. In June 2010 he was deployed to Kabul as the UK’s Chief J2 Afghanistan, responsible for all aspects of UK intelligence support to the ISAF mission. On his return in March 2011, he was posted at short notice back into PJHQ, this time as DACOS J2 (Operations), responsible for the intelligence support to the Commander and senior decision makers with a global remit although with a heavy focus on the Libyan Campaign over the period.

Air Commodore Corbett has held the double-hatted position as the Deputy UK Military Representative to NATO and Chief of Staff of the UK Delegation, since October 2011.