Air Vice-Marshal Arthurton was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in March 1994, after reading Mechanical Engineering at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His early operational career was spent flying the Tornado GR1 and GR4, to include Operation TELIC over Iraq in 2003.

In October 2004 AVM Arthurton was selected for exchange duties and posted to the 13th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, to fly the B-2 Stealth Bomber. During this tour he had the privilege of becoming the first non-US pilot to fly the Stealth Bomber to include operational missions. Staff tours in the Ministry of Defence, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) and British Embassy in Washington followed before Arthurton was selected to command 617 Sqn, The Dambusters, in 2012.

Posted back to PJHQ in June 2014, Air Vice-Marshal Arthurton assumed the post of Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff J3 with responsibility for Africa, running UK operations across the continent to include Op GRITROCK, the military contribution to the counter-ebola effort in Sierra Leone. Remaining at PJHQ, in Jan 2016 he assumed the role of Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Joint Effects where he led the team that enabled the delivery of synchronised multi-domain effects in UK operational theatres.

In November 2016 Air Vice-Marshal Arthurton was assigned to command RAF Leeming, a station with sharp focus on expeditionary air operations. Following command, and on promotion to 1* in Dec 2018, Air Vice-Marshal Arthurton was assigned to the 609th AOC, Al Udeid Air Base, where he enjoyed a fast-paced operational tour as the CAOC Director, responsible for coalition air operations across CENTCOM. On return from the Middle East, he was posted to RAF Marham to become the Lightning Force Commander in Jun 2019, before broadening his remit and commanding the Combat Air Force from Dec 2020. During the latter period he oversaw the Force generation of UK F-35B for its operational debut on Carrier Strike Group 21.

Assigned as Director Strategy and Military Digitisation in May 2022, he is responsible for accelerating the transformation and adoption of digital capability and services across the battlespace.