Air Vice-Marshal Kilvington was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1996 after graduating from Warwick University with an honours degree in Physics. Following Officer and Navigator training he was posted to the Tornado F3 Force where he completed operational tours in the Middle East and South Atlantic. Whilst operating Tornado he became a Qualified Weapons Instructor, later serving 2 years as a flight commander on the F3 Operational Conversion Unit. Between 2014 and 2016 Kilvington commanded Number 8 Squadron operating the E-3D Sentry, during which time it was committed to Coalition and NATO operations in the Middle East and Europe. He was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal by SACEUR for his leadership during this period.
In 2020, Kilvington returned to RAF Waddington as the Station Commander where he was responsible for 3000 service personnel, eight squadrons and the safe operation of seven UK Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance capabilities. In addition to his operational flying tours, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as an Air Advisor supporting a UK Task Force.
Kilvington has completed staff tours in the Ministry of Defence as a desk officer in Theatre Airspace Capability, as the Middle East and Europe Desk Officer in the Operations Directorate and as Assistant Head Force Development in Capability Strategy. In Air Warfare Centre roles, he was the Trials Programme Manager for the Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit and commanded 92 Squadron (Tactics and Training) between 2013 and 2014.
Attending the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2012, Kilvington gained an MA in Defence Studies, specialising in military ethics. He also completed French language training in 2018 before working with the French Air Force in Paris as the RAF’s Air Liaison Officer. Prior to taking command of 11 Group, he served as the UK’s National Military Representative to SHAPE between 2022 and 2025. He was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2023 New Year’s Honours list.
Married to Lois, a Logistics Director, they live with their two school-aged children and an excitable Cocker Spaniel. In his free time, he enjoys running, cycling and (at long last) watching the successes of Nottingham Forest Football Club.