Colin Basnett CBE Non-Executive Director

Colin Basnett served in the Royal Air Force from 1979 to 2012 and is currently the Group Director of Strategic Engagement for QinetiQ.

Colin completed three tours as an airman, including one in Hong Kong, before being selected for commissioned aircrew service. During his flying career, Colin undertook front-line duties on the Tornado GR1 and GR4, including operations over Iraq and Afghanistan, and as a Qualified Weapons Instructor at the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit. He was also lucky enough to conduct a US exchange tour on the F111F. Colin went on to command No 14 Sqn and RAF Marham before, as an Air Commodore, he undertook his eighth operational tour as Director of the Combined Air and Space Operations Centre, Al Udeid, Qatar.

His ground appointments include the Military Assistant to the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), Personal Staff Officer to the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff; Head of Air Resources and Plans and Head of the Capability Equipment Plan. Upon leaving the RAF, Colin joined MBDA as the Military Adviser (Air) and, latterly, the Head of Typhoon and Future Combat Air System before joining QinetiQ in 2018.