Robert Chipman

{{Short description|Australian air force officer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Use Australian English|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox military person

|name= Robert Chipman

|image= Air Marshal Robert Chipman.jpg

|image_size=

|alt=

|caption= Air Marshal Chipman in 2023

|nickname=

|birth_date= {{birth year and age|1971}}

|birth_place=

|death_date=

|death_place=

|placeofburial=

|allegiance= Australia

|branch= Royal Australian Air Force

|serviceyears= 1989–present

|rank= Air Marshal

|servicenumber=

|unit=

|commands= Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2024–)
Chief of Air Force (2022–24)
Head Military Strategic Commitments (2021–22)
Air Task Unit 630.1 (2014)
No. 81 Wing RAAF (2013–14)
Air and Space Operations Centre (2010–12)
No. 75 Squadron RAAF (2006–09)

|battles= War in Afghanistan
War against the Islamic State

|awards= Officer of the Order of Australia
Conspicuous Service Cross
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Military Service (Malaysia)
Air Force Meritorious Service Star, First Class (Indonesia)
Meritorious Service Medal (Singapore)

|relations=

|laterwork=

}}

Air Marshal Robert Timothy Chipman, {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|AO|CSC}} (born 1971) is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He joined the RAAF as an aeronautical engineer in 1989 and gained his pilot's wings in 1994. He has commanded No. 75 Squadron RAAF (2006–09), the Air and Space Operations Centre (2010–12), No. 81 Wing RAAF (2013–14) and Air Task Unit 630.1 (2014), and deployed to the Middle East on Operations Slipper and Okra. He served as the Australian Military Representative to NATO and the European Union from 2019 to 2021, Head Military Strategic Commitments from 2021 to 2022 and Chief of Air Force from 2022 to 2024. Chipman assumed his current appointment as the Vice Chief of the Defence Force on 9 July 2024.{{cite web |title=Vice Chief of the Defence Force |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/about/who-we-are/leaders/vice-chief-defence-force |publisher=Department of Defence |access-date=9 July 2024}}

RAAF career

File:Robert Chipman at the Pacific F-35 Symposium 2017.webp

Chipman joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as an officer cadet in 1989. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering with Honours in 1992 and gained his pilot's wings in 1994. His early career included postings to Nos. 25 and 76 Squadrons, flying the Macchi MB-326H, and later Nos. 77 and 75 Squadrons after converting to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. On qualifying as a fighter combat instructor in 1999, he was posted to No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit as an instructor on the F/A-18 Hornet and then as a fighter combat instructor and flight commander in No. 75 Squadron.{{cite web|title=Williams Foundation Lunch: Air C2: Lessons from OKRA – Air Commodore Robert Chipman, CSC|url=https://hub.williamsfoundation.org.au/event-2774713|publisher=Sir Richard Williams Foundation|access-date=28 June 2022}}{{cite news|last=Thorn|first=Adam|title='Top Gun' Hornet Instructor New Chief of Air Force|url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/06/top-gun-hornet-instructor-new-chief-of-air-force/|publisher=Australian Aviation|date=28 June 2022|access-date=29 June 2022}}{{cite web|title=Chief of Air Force: Air Marshal Robert Chipman|url=https://www.airforce.gov.au/our-people/our-leaders/chief-air-force|work=Our Leaders|publisher=Royal Australian Air Force|access-date=1 July 2022}}

Chipman was appointed executive officer of No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit in 2002, Deputy Director Firepower in the Capability Development Group in 2004, and commanding officer of No. 75 Squadron in 2006. During Chipman's command, No. 75 Squadron was awarded the Gloucester Cup as the most proficient flying squadron in the RAAF in 2008 and the Kittyhawk Trophy as the most proficient fighter squadron in 2009. On promotion to group captain in 2010, Chipman was made Director of the Air and Space Operations Centre in Headquarters Joint Operations Command. In 2012, he deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Slipper, serving as a battle director in the United States 609th Air and Space Operations Center. Following his return to Australia, he was appointed commanding officer of No. 81 Wing at RAAF Base Williamtown.

Chipman redeployed to the Middle East in September 2014, this time as commander of Air Task Unit 630.1 on Operation Okra. He returned to Australia in 2015 as the inaugural Director of Plan Jericho. Plan Jericho was a "transformation program intended to deliver joint, integrated air and space capability" for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The following year, in recognition of his "outstanding achievement" in the Middle East, Chipman was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2016 Australia Day Honours.{{Cite web|title=Group Captain Robert Timothy Chipman: Conspicuous Service Cross|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1153443|work=It's an Honour|access-date=30 June 2022}} He completed the Defence and Strategic Studies Course later that year, graduating with a Master of Business Administration.

Chipman subsequently served as Director General Capability Planning – Air Force and, on promotion to air vice-marshal, was posted to Belgium in 2019 as Australian Military Representative to NATO and the European Union. In the Queen's Birthday Honours that year, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his "exceptional service ... in coalition air operations, air combat capability preparedness, and strategic capability development and sustainment."{{Cite web|title=Air Vice-Marshal Robert Timothy Chipman: Member of the Order of Australia|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/2004906|work=It's an Honour|access-date=1 July 2022}} Chipman returned to Australia in 2021 as Head Military Strategic Commitments, with responsibility for the strategic management and situational awareness of ADF commitments.

In June 2022, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, announced that Chipman would be appointed as the next Chief of Air Force.{{cite news|last=Marles|first=Richard|authorlink=Richard Marles|title=ADF Senior Leadership Appointments|url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/rmarles/media-releases/adf-senior-leadership-appointments?linkId=171043185|work=Media Releases|publisher=Office of the Minister for Defence|date=28 June 2022|access-date=28 June 2022}} Chipman succeeded Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld in the role on 1 July.{{cite news|title=Air Force Welcolms New Chief|url=https://news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/air-force-welcomes-new-chief|work=Defence News|publisher=Department of Defence|date=1 July 2022|access-date=1 July 2022}} Chipman was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours for "distinguished service in responsible positions as Australia’s Military Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; and as Head of Military Strategic Commitments Branch".{{Cite web |title=Air Marshal Robert Timothy Chipman AM CSC |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/3016570 |access-date=25 January 2024 |website=It's an Honour |publisher=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet}} In April, Marles announced that Chipman would be appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Force from July 2024.{{cite web|title=Appointment of Australian Defence Force Senior Leadership|url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-04-09/appointment-australian-defence-force-senior-leadership|website=Minister of Defence|access-date=9 April 2024}} Chipman was awarded Malaysia's Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Military Service in May,{{cite web |title=Conferment of the Darjah Kebesaran Angkatan Tentera Kehormat to the Australian Chief of Air Force|url=https://www.mod.gov.my/index.php/en/media3/news/conferment-of-the-darjah-kebesaran-angkatan-tentera-kehormat-to-the-australian-chief-of-air-force |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=24 October 2024}} Indonesia's Air Force Meritorious Service Star, First Class in June and,{{cite news |title=KSAU Pins the Star of Honor of Swa Bhuwana Paksa Utama to CAF RAAF |url=https://indonesiadefense.com/ksau-sematkan-tanda-kehormatan-bintang-swa-bhuwana-paksa-utama-kepada-caf-raaf/ |access-date=24 October 2024 |publisher=Indonesia Defence |date=21 June 2024}} on 3 July, was succeeded by Air Marshal Stephen Chappell as Chief of Air Force.{{cite web|title=Chief of Air Force Change Over Ceremony|url=http://images.defence.gov.au/S20241709|work=Defence Imagery|publisher=Department of Defence|access-date=3 July 2024}}

In October 2024, Chipman was presented with the Singaporean Meritorious Service Medal (Military) by Singapore's Minister for Defence, Ng Eng Hen.{{cite news |title=Australian Vice Chief of Defence Force Receives Singapore’s Prestigious Military Award |url=https://indiplomacy.com/2024/10/10/australian-vice-chief-of-defence-force-receives-singapores-prestigious-military-award/ |access-date=24 October 2024 |publisher=InDiplomacy |date=10 October 2024}}

Personal life

Chipman is married to Alyce and has four children. He enjoys reading, running, and playing AFL. His father, Doug Chipman, is a retired RAAF air commodore and the former mayor of the City of Clarence in Tasmania.{{cite web|title=RAAF Assoc. Trained Advocate|url=http://www.raafatas.com/158198737|publisher=RAAF Association Tasmania|access-date=10 October 2022}}{{cite web|title=RADT Committee Members|url=https://www.rdatasmania.org.au/committee-members/|publisher=Regional Development Australia Tasmania|access-date=10 October 2022}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-mil}}

{{s-bef|before=Vice Admiral David Johnston}}

{{s-ttl|title=Vice Chief of the Defence Force|years=2024–present}}

{{s-inc}}

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{{s-bef|before=Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chief of Air Force|years=2022–2024}}

{{s-aft|after=Air Marshal Stephen Chappell}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Major General Roger Noble}}

{{s-ttl|title=Head Military Strategic Commitments|years=2021–2022}}

{{s-aft|after=Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Chappell}}

{{s-end}}

{{Vice Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)}}

{{Chief of Air Force (Australia)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chipman, Robert}}

Category:1971 births

Category:Australian aviators

Category:Australian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Category:Living people

Category:Officers of the Order of Australia

Category:Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia)

Category:Royal Australian Air Force air marshals

Category:University of Sydney alumni

Category:Recipients of the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera)