Brigadier Andy Mitchell

Commander, 1st Aviation Brigade British Army

Brigadier Mitchell was commissioned into the Army Air Corps in December 2002. During his formative years he served with 1 Regiment AAC in Germany which included multiple tours of Iraq flying Lynx Mk7/9 Helicopters, and serving with 3 Regiment AAC on the Apache Attack Helicopter in Afghanistan. As the 4 Regiment's Operations Officer, he deployed with the Royal Navy and oversaw the planning and preparation of UK Apache force elements in support of Operation ELLAMY (UNIFIED PROTECTOR) in Libya. Brigadier Mitchell's initial Grade 2 staff appointment was as SO2 J5 Plans at the Permanent Joint Headquarters (UK). As the lead UK planner for Levant contingency operations, he was periodically seconded to US CENTCOM, Cyprus, Jordan, and Lebanon, developing UK, UK–US bilateral, and coalition contingency options to address the Syrian crisis and wider regional instability. Sub-unit command followed, where he was responsible for redeveloping the Attack Helicopter Force's Initial Very High Readiness Land Contingency Squadron following Op HERRICK. After completing the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2017, he returned to Army Headquarters within Capability Air Manoeuvre as Chief of Staff, overseeing financial management and capability development across the Directorate of Army Capability's Air Manoeuvre portfolio. Brigadier Mitchell went on to command 4 Regiment AAC and the UK's lead Aviation Task Force (ATF-1), supporting higher readiness forces including the Lead Commando Group (High North operations), 16 Air Assault Brigade (Eastern Europe and Middle East operations), and UK SF (GCT). In 2022, he was posted to Supreme Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia, as Deputy Branch Head, Strategic Alternatives within the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate focusing on the strategic revanchism of Russia and China. On subsequent promotion to Colonel, he deployed to the Indo-Pacific region embedded with United States Forces Korea supporting the US mission to uphold the Armistice between the DPRK and Republic of Korea and to maintain regional stability. On return to the UK, he was selected for promotion to Brigadier and command of 1st Aviation Brigade. He has a Master's Degree in Defence Studies and is an alumni of the UK's Higher Command and Staff College.