Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force
| Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force | |
|---|---|
WORAF insignia | |
since April 2023 | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Style | Warrant Officer |
| Abbreviation | WORAF |
| Reports to | Chief of the Air Staff |
| Appointer | Air Force Board |
| Term length | Not fixed, typically 2–3 years |
| Formation | May 1996 |
| First holder | WO Greg Dutton |
| Website | Official website |
The Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF), previously known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer (CASWO), is the senior Royal Air Force (RAF) appointment for a warrant officer (WO), and therefore the most senior non-commissioned appointment in the RAF. The person holding this military appointment advises the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on matters concerning airmen and airwomen of the RAF. The post was created in May 1996, as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer. The post was re-titled Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF) on 1 July 2021, and whilst continuing to report directly to the Chief of the Air Staff, the scope of the WORAF was widened to 'work for the entirety of the RAF'. The current WORAF is WO Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam, who was appointed in April 2023. As of 2023 including the incumbent, there has been a total of eleven personnel in this appointment.
The Royal Navy equivalent is the Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy (WORN, previously Warrant Officer of the Naval Service, WONS), and in the Royal Marines the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major. The British Army's recent equivalent is the Army Sergeant Major (previously known as Sergeant Major of the Army).