Air Commodore Darren Whiteley joined the RAF in February 1998, commencing Air Battlespace Manager training in October 1998 and completing his first tour at RAF Buchan. From here, he was selected for the ABM STANEVAL and a second C2 tour at RAF Buchan followed before a posting to No 1 Air Control Centre in December 2004. During his time on the Unit, 1ACC completed a NATO OPEVAL and he deployed as the initial Unit commander on Op HERRICK (Afghanistan).

Upon return from Afghanistan, Whiteley was promoted to squadron leader (O4) and took up the post of SO2 C2 and Battlespace on the UK Joint Force Air Component Headquarters. This tour saw him deployments including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Al Udeid where his work as the lead NATO Planner in the US Strategy Division drew recognition from the CENTCOM CFACC. He also undertook ABM and C2 duties with UK Special Forces during this period. In August 2009, he was posted to 56(R) Sqn as the Executive Officer of the Air Warfare Centre’s ISR Test and Evaluation Squadron and supported several ISR initiatives. In April 2011, he was deployed at very short notice to Op ELLAMY where he undertook DCOS Ops, C2 and ISR duties in the fledgling UK Air HQ as well as assuming UK Engagement Authority (‘Red Card Holder’) duties. Upon his return he undertook Executive Officer duties for the inaugural 2* Chief of Staff Capability at HQ Air Command.

Upon promotion to wing commander (O5) he remained with the HQ Air Capability area as the Deputy Head and Programme Manager for the high-profile Financial Military Capability Transformation Programme. In this role he was responsible for the design and implementation of the new 2* Air Finance & Military Capability organisation. He successfully completed ACSC 18 before being selected for policy duties in the NATO and European Policy directorate in the Ministry of Defence. In this role he was responsible for providing politically aware military advice to Chief of Defence Staff, the Prime Minister and other government ministers to aid the formulation of UK policy on NATO and EU issues. He was appointed Station Commander RAF Fylingdales in August 2016 and oversaw the Unit increase its integration with US assets and address long standing sustainment and interference issues. He assumed the role of Chief of Staff Space and Battlespace Management Force in June 2018 and oversaw the movement of the Force into the RAF’s Multi-Domain Command and Control Group (Number 11 Group). He was promoted to group captain (O6) in September 2019 as Deputy Director Combined Space Operations Center and drove enhanced allied integration. He completed the UK Higher Command and Staff Course (UK CAPSTONE) in 2022 and took up the role of Deputy Director Global Partnerships in HQ USSF in April 2022 where he was lead for USSF’s Partner to Win initiative. He was promoted to Air Commodore (O7) in September 2023.

Darren is married to Lesley, a US Air Force Reserve Intelligence officer. They had their only child, Alex, in July 2012 and he is now a boisterous 11-year-old who is keen to know everything about everything and who is obsessed with cars, YouTube and his iPad. His spare time is spent suffering as a Middlesbrough Football Club fan, stopping his rescue dog from terrorizing the local wildlife, road, and mountain biking, dabbling in photography and enjoying the delights of red wine, real ale and whisky.