Air Vice-Marshal Michael John Smeath, (born 2 October 1967) is a former senior Royal Air Force officer.
Early life and education Smeath was born on 2 October 1967 in Woking, Surrey, England.
He attended the William Alvey CE Primary School in Sleaford.Sleaford Standard Thursday 29 June 1978, page 14 He grew up on Hervey Road,Sleaford Standard Thursday 7 May 1987, page 4 and attended Sleaford Secondary Modern School, where he took part in competitive cross country running, and tennis,Sleaford Standard Thursday 5 March 1981, page 22Lincolnshire Echo Tuesday 7 September 1982, page 10 and competed in cross country running at Lincoln College of Technology, which he left in 1986.Lincolnshire Echo Monday 11 March 1985, page 11 He competed at 800 metres in 1986.Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 10 May 1986, page 11
He undertook a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in international studies with the Open University, graduating in 2006. The same year, he completed a Master of Arts degree in war studies via King's College London. He later studied at Deakin University, Canberra, graduating with an MA in strategic studies."Smeath, Air Vice-Marshal Michael John, (born 2 Oct. 1967), Defence Attaché, Washington, since 2020." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 Dec. 2021
RAF career Smeath joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an aircraft propulsion engineer in 1987. He rose to the rank of senior aircraftman, before being selected for officer training in 1990. He had worked on the Nimrod at RAF St Mawgan.Sleaford Standard Thursday 28 June 1990, page 5
Having attended the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, he was commissioned on 21 June 1990 as a pilot officer, with seniority in that rank from 15 January 1989. He served as officer commanding No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment. In October 1994, he was one of a group of five, taken hostage for five days.The Scotsman Monday 31 October 1994, page 1
He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Honington in 2014, Liaison Officer to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in July 2017 and Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff in August 2018. In February 2020 Smeath was appointed Head of the British Defence Staff and Defence Attaché in Washington, D.C., with effect from August 2020. In January 2023, he was appointed director of the Global Defence Network in the Ministry of Defence; as such, he was head of the UK's military attaché world wide network. He retired from the Royal Air Force on 5 January 2026.
Smeath was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honours, and advanced to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 New Year Honours. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2026 Birthday Honours.
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