https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/m...anks-78smlf5ht
Military hunt for head of the armed forces breaks ranks
Boris Johnson has requested that the defence secretary put forward lower-ranked candidates than normal for the job as head of the armed forces,
The Times has learnt.
Senior government sources said the prime minister wanted a “broader pool” of candidates to select from for General Sir Nick Carter’s replacement, even if it meant them skipping a rank.
It is understood Ben Wallace invited three three-star ranks to apply for the role: Vice-Admiral Sir Ben Key, who led the evacuation effort in Afghanistan; Lieutenant General Sir James Hockenhull, chief of defence intelligence; and Air Marshal Gerry Mayhew.
The last two declined but Key, chief of joint operations, has applied for the chief of the defence staff position and is said to have a “good relationship” with Wallace, having impressed him with his work in Afghanistan and on the carrier strike group deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.
If Key were handed the job it would make him the first three-star to get the top job.
Four four-star generals have also been interviewed by Wallace to replace Carter, although it is expected to be a “two-horse race”, sources said.
Several insiders said that General Sir Patrick Sanders, head of strategic command, and Admiral Sir Antony Radakin, the first sea lord, were the most likely choices for the role when Carter steps down at the end of November.
A senior government source said that Radakin was the overall favourite, given Johnson’s focus on the Royal Navy and shipbuilding, and although Sanders could be offered the job of head of the army, there were concerns he might quit if he did not get the top post.
The source said Johnson wanted “honest, clear thinking” and a clearing out of obsolete kit, a changing of working patterns and modernising all the forces “properly” to save money.
Wallace has interviewed the candidates and had dinner with most of them in informal settings, giving them a chance to share their ideas for defence.