Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston: 'Diversity in the RAF is mission critical'

The head of the Royal Air Force (RAF), Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, has said increased diversity in the armed forces is “mission critical” in future battles as he vowed to attract the “brightest and best of every single community”.

Currently, 2.1 per cent of all RAF service personnel identify according to census categories as BAME - of a recorded force of 32,960 personnel, 770 are from non-white backgrounds.

The RAF aims to increase the proportion of ethnic minority recruits to 20 per cent and female recruits to 40 per cent by 2040 - goals that are more ambitious than the Army or Royal Navy.

“The evidence is clear - that more diverse teams are more effective and more agile and more innovative, and they make better decisions,” Sir Mike said at an event hosted by the Asian Media Group (AMG), publishers of Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat newsweeklies in London last Wednesday (10).

(From left) Aditya Solanki, Sunil Sheth, Air Vice-Marshal Simon Edwards, Sunil Pankhania, Flt Lt Pratik Kandangwa, Malcolm Deboo, WO Balbir Flora, and Dr Chaand Nagpaul

Research proved that having a diverse workforce was a positive for organisations, the head of the RAF noted.

Sir Mike said, “It is mission critical in the future battlespace, but it's also business critical, because I look at the figures of how the demographics of the United Kingdom are changing. By 2030, 25 per cent of 17 to 25 year olds – the key cohort we recruit from - will be from non-white backgrounds. And of course, of that remaining 75 per cent, half of them are women.”

A number of influential British Asians from business, politics, academia and community leaders attended the event at the RAF Club in Piccadilly.

(From left) Sunil Sheth, Sir Mike Wigston and Lubna Shuja

Entrepreneur Dinesh Dhamija; Bestway managing director Dawood Pervez; president of the Zoroastrian Funds of Europe, Malcolm Deboo; regional head of State Bank of India, Sudhir Sharma; former chair of the British Medical Association, Dr Chaand Nagpaul; external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, Swati Dhingra and leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt, were among those who attended.

Sir Mike told the gathering, “I’ve got 1,500 pilots in the Royal Air Force, fewer than 10 are from ethnic minorities, 30 are women. Out of 8,500 engineers, two per cent are from ethnic minorities. That's two per cent today, against 25 per cent of the population in just seven years’ time. Six per cent of my engineers are women.

Dr Kiran Patel (left) and Air Vice-Marshal Tim Jones

“We've got a long way to go and that's why I've been absolutely determined that the Royal Air Force does change. I have driven that from the very top of the organisation, because there's no doubt in my mind that the challenge for us as an as an organisation, to succeed in the future, depends on us being able to attract people from every single part of the UK population.

“This is something that I and my leadership team are absolutely determined to do.”

He added, “The RAF is an exciting and fulfilling place to work. The ability to serve our country is something we are all inspired by and proud to do.

Dawood Pervez with Sir Mike Wigston

“I would like our guests to speak to some of the people who are serving - not just my generation, but also the younger generation, who are here and hear what it's like to be in the Royal Air Force today.

“Here the changes we're trying to make and hear about that what it means to wear this uniform, to serve our country, to protect our skies and space, to be take part of amazing ceremonial events like the coronation on Saturday (6).

“When you go back to your communities, your families and friends, please spread the word. Open people's minds, in every community, to the opportunities that the Royal Air Force offers.”

(From left) Sunder Katwala; Swati Dhingra; Shailesh Solanki; Air Marshal Harvey Smyth; Fg Off Jaspal Sidhu;Sabu Padmadas; Dinesh Dhamija; and Flt Sgt Sunny Aven

There are a variety of roles individuals can take on within the RAF. They range from pilots and navigators to engineers and support personnel. Each role is critical to the functioning and success of the RAF, and those who take on these roles are trained.

Sir Mike said, “I really want the Royal Air Force to be an attractive, professional destination for the brightest and best of every single community. And I can't say that hand on heart that we are today, but that's where that's where we've got to go.

“Five years ago, we celebrated our first 100 years. In my role as chief of the air staff, it’s to make sure we are set ready and fighting fit for the next 100 years and that means change.

(From left) Kalpesh Solanki; Vinod Kapashi, Vinod Thakrar, Rajesh Guruji, Sir Mike Wigston, councillor Muhammed Butt, Sqn Ldr Amir Khan, Jaimin Solanki and Shailesh Solanki

“Some of the habits we've got into, some of the approaches we've taken to our workforce to some of the ways we operated in the air - they needed to change, and first and foremost in that was the was the demographics of our organisation.”

The AMG group managing editor Kalpesh Solanki, paid tribute to Sir Mike, who leaves his post next month.

He said, “Sir Mike became head of the RAF in July 2019 and since that time, he has put equality and diversity firmly at the top of his agenda. He is genuinely passionate about diversity and has perhaps done more than any other service chief in making the RAF a more inclusive and welcoming organisation for ethnic minorities.”

Kalpesh Solanki addressing the gathering

Solanki added that King Charles’s coronation ceremony showed the best of British society and how every organisation needs to represent the unique cultural make-up of the nation.

“The coronation managed to delicately balance tradition dating back 1,000 years with a ceremony reflecting a modern multifaith Britain,” he said. “It was a genuinely poignant moment when our first British Asian prime minister, a practising Hindu, read a passage from the Bible with heartfelt purpose and eloquence.

Guests at the event

“Peers from various faiths handed the King symbols of the instruments of state to emphasise the strength of our diversity and that we all belong in a modern multi-faith Britain.

“An equal and fair society is a fundamental part of any civilised democracy and only when all of our citizens can rise to the best of their talents can we be at our best.”