Air Commodore Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe was born in Guernsey in 1972 and after attending The Guernsey Grammar School, joined the Royal Air Force in 1992. On completion of fast jet flying training he qualified as a pilot on the Jaguar.

Nick completed operational, weapons instructor, and trials flying tours on the Jaguar including deployments to the Balkans and the Middle East before being selected as a flight commander on No. 12 (Bomber) Squadron, flying the Tornado GR4. During this tour he deployed twice to the Middle East where he flew operational sorties throughout Iraq. Furthermore as the Squadron lead for Air Land Integration, he forged close working relationships with the deploying British Army Brigades and Divisions. Subsequently promoted to Wing Commander, he was assigned to be Principal Air Staff Officer in Headquarters 3rd (United Kingdom) Division before he completed Advanced Command and Staff College at the United Kingdom Defence Academy, where he gained an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London. 

Nick commanded No. II (Army Cooperation) Squadron from January 2011 to January 2013. During his command he led the Squadron twice on combat operations. First he deployed to Gioia del Colle, Italy for 5 months as the commander of the Tornado contingent that conducted operations over Libya. Then 10 months later he led the Squadron to Afghanistan. For his leadership in combat during the Libya campaign, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

On promotion to Group Captain Nick completed assignments in the Air Staff within the Ministry of Defence, and the Plans Division in the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters. Nick was selected to be the Station Commander of RAF Valley from December 2016 to December 2018 where his held responsibility for all aspects of the Station, its personnel and operations, including the leadership of UK fighter pilot training. He assumed the role of Battle Director in the US Combined Air Operations Centre, Qatar for April to July 2019 before graduating from the Royal College of Defence Studies. In 2020 Nick became the Programme Director for the Complex Weapons Portfolio in MOD, where he exercised day-to-day functional control of the ~£1Bn pa portfolio. Promoted to Air Commodore in July 2023, Nick is currently Head of Combat Air Capability Delivery in Headquarters Air Command.

Air Commodore Lowe is married and has three grown up children. In addition to a love of flying, he enjoys hill walking, sailing and classical music.