The Royal Air Force was deliberately designed to be a bureaucracy outside of the Station Gates, in order that centralised control of its activities and expenditures be the better assured. One is tempted immediately to add, "So that worked well then, didn't it?". As a result, leadership has tended to stop at the very same gates, ie involving SO's only (though with certain 1* exceptions). Above that it is simply a pyramid, with "Commanders", having ever more impressive titles, embedded into various levels that then feed into the MOD (née AM) secretariat. It may have worked well enough in WWII but has long since become a self serving way to the stars, rather than serving the good of the Service.
One result has been the scandal of the Air Safety cover up, whereby VSOs reputations have outweighed the most basic requirement of any air force, that is to have airworthy aircraft! Unless and until the Royal Air Force bites the bullet, admits to the cover up, and faces up to the urgent need for reforming UK Military Airworthiness and Air Accident Investigation, it will be poorly equipped to engage in an Air War with another Air Power. Whether or not it might provide for a new CDS pales into insignificance by comparison.