Having been promoted to group captain on 1 January 1990,[REF] from 1990 to 1992, Stirrup served as Station Commander of RAF Marham[REF] and during his time in command, RAF Marham's strike aircraft were dispatched to the Middle East, seeing action in the Gulf War air campaign [REF].
Stirrup was promoted to air chief marshal[REF] and appointed Chief of the Air Staff on 1 August 2003 [REF].