A senior RAF officer who recently delivered a lecture at Oxford University is expected to be named as Reform UK’s armed forces spokesman on Thursday.
The party has described the appointment as a new role of shadow armed forces minister and defence spokesman.
The proposed spokesman, Angus MacIntyre, is an RAF Wing Commander with a 40-year military career.
Reform officials said his experience exceeds that of two Labour defence team members, who have served in the armed forces for 31 years between them.
MacIntyre recently completed a course examining the changing nature of war at Pembroke College, Oxford.
He also lectured on NATO deterrence at All Souls College, Oxford, in the previous year.
The RAF officer has left his military position to take up the party appointment.
According to MacIntyre, the decision followed an invitation from Reform leader Nigel Farage, who sought senior party figures with experience outside Westminster.
He said Farage had earlier asked people with practical experience outside politics to assist Reform UK in addressing problems facing the country.
MacIntyre began his military career in the British Army in 1986.
Farage said MacIntyre’s appointment demonstrated the seriousness with which Reform UK approaches defence and the protection of Britain’s military interests.
He also claimed that MacIntyre possessed more experience than the entire Government defence team combined.
Farage further linked the appointment to Reform UK’s aim of bringing people with substantial real-world experience into politics to lead Government departments, rather than relying solely on career politicians.