Major General (Ret'd) Mike Keating

Former Chief of Staff NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps

Major General Mike Keating commissioned into the British Army in 1993. He served briefly as an infantry Platoon Commander before completing the Army Pilots Course in 1995. He has conducted operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, South America, Africa, the Arctic Circle and the Middle East. Keating served as Adjutant, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, 16 Air Assault Brigade before leading the development of the UK's Attack Helicopter Conversion to Role course. He attended the Joint Services Advanced Command and Staff Course from 2004 – 05 before serving in the MOD as lead for the Attack Helicopter programme and Urgent Operational Requirements. His Squadron Command tour saw him deploy globally in support of strategic military operations and training, before completing his second tour in the MOD during Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010. Keating assumed Regimental command in 2011, deploying Squadrons to Afghanistan, Kenya, and to the Far East. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 with the 3rd US Marine Air Wing. On promotion to Colonel he was assigned to the Army Directorate for Operations and Contingencies. Following HCSC he became Assistant Head Military Strategy before returning to flying duties in 2017 as Deputy Commander and Operations Director, Joint Helicopter Command. In 2019 he was assigned to The Pentagon as the UK CHOD's Liaison Officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before subsequent assignment as the 2* Deputy Commanding General – Support, III (US) Armoured Corps. He then served as Chief of Staff of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps from May 2023 until his retirement from the British Army in March 2026. He remains Colonel Commandant of the Army Air Corps.