Vice Admiral Andy Kyte CB FCILT
Biography
Vice Admiral Andy Kyte was appointed as the Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS) with effect from September 2023.
A career logistician, he has over 38 years’ service, including operational tours in Northern Ireland, the Arabian Gulf and Afghanistan. Previous appointments include Head of Defence Logistic Operations and Command of the High Readiness Joint Force Logistic HQ. In 2018 he was appointed as the 2* Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (ACDS) (Support Operations) where he was responsible for the provision of strategic level policy, planning and direction in support of current and contingent operations. His tenure was dominated by the Support challenges created by BREXIT, COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Prior to assuming the post of CDLS he led a study for the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), focused on increasing Defence outputs.
Vice Admiral Andy Kyte is a graduate of the Higher Command and Staff Course and the London Business School. He holds a BA in Modern History and an MA in Defence Studies and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath in the 2020 New Year’s Honours List for his contribution to Defence’s response to the COVID pandemic. He is the Chair of the Association of Royal Navy Officers, and its sister organisation, the Royal Navy Officers Charity. He is also President of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Surfing Association and is the Armed Forces Jewish Faith Champion.
Chief Defence Logistics Support
The Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS) is responsible for driving coherence and performance of Support across Defence, including owning the vision for Support and overseeing the implementation of the Defence Support Strategy.
CDLS is the lead within the NAD Group for support to operations and readiness, delivering Support services to military commands, including operational energy and strategic movement.
As a Director General in the NAD Group and the head of the Defence Support organisation, CDLS leads a team of professionals whose role is to optimise Support to the front line.
Support remains central to our commitment to NATO, essential to credible deterrence, and fundamental to warfighting. This role guarantees that forces are kept moving and fighting—ready, available, and sustained—with the right kit, in the right place, at the right time.