The strategic edge of sovereign space launch

Space launch has become increasingly accessible. From 14 orbital launches in 1959 to 132 orbital launches in 2021, there are now 28 spaceports that have supported orbital space launch. Proliferated interest in spaceports demonstrates how orbit accessibility fulfils national goals, but it begs the question of why sovereign launch has become such a particularly fashionable capability in national strategies.

The strategic edge of sovereign space launch

The IR's first year: One giant leap for UK space power

The Integrated Review (IR) laid out the Government’s vision for the UK up to 2030. Including the space domain in this strategic assessment of UK priorities was a testament that UK space activity defines Britain’s place in the world. This year has set a strong foundation and firm trajectory for the UK to build on space strategy and continue investing in capabilities attuned to national priorities.

The IR's first year: One giant leap for UK space power

One year on: How did air power fare in the Integrated Review?

Defence in a Competitive Age was published in March 2021 and set out how the Ministry of Defence was going to play its part in meeting the ambition for Global Britain in a Competitive Age set out by the Integrated Review. In his foreword, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace claimed that this was going to be different from previous reviews that ‘have been over-ambitious and underfunded, leaving forces that were overstretched and underequipped’. This one was going to be ‘threat-focused’ and properly resourced based on ‘unprecedented’ investment in defence. One year on, how does it look from an air power perspective?

One year on: How did air power fare in the Integrated Review?

Space Command – One Year On

Watch Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey and Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth return to the Freeman Air and Space Institute to reflect on the first year of Space Command.

Space Command – One Year On Event

Would a No Fly Zone in Ukraine lead to Escalation or Salvation?

As the situation in Ukraine deteriorates and Europe confronts for the first time in a generation the realpolitik of a nuclear equipped Russia, some have either called for or ruled out military intervention. The ubiquitous No Fly Zone (NFZ) has been proffered as a limited military response to “level the playing field”.

Would a No Fly Zone in Ukraine lead to Escalation or Salvation?

Defence Space Strategy Launch 2022

Watch the Freeman Air & Space Institute hosting the Ministry of Defence's launch of the Defence Space Strategy at King’s College London.

Defence Space Strategy Launch

Chief of the Air Staff Sir Mike Wigston on the RAF and Net Zero 2040

Watch a lecture from Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, on his ambitious plans for making the UK Royal Air Force carbon neutral by 2040.

Chief of the Air Staff Sir Mike Wigston on the RAF and Net Zero 2040

A 'Meaningful Space' in the Integrated Review

This essay was first published in October 2021, in the second volume of the Centre for Defence Studies series on The Integrated Review in Context: Defence and Security in Focus.

A 'Meaningful Space' in the Integrated Review

Net Zero for the Royal Air Force: The road to 2040

With just days to go until COP26 kicks off, the Freeman Air and Space Institute has been designing and facilitating events to drill into the RAF’s ambitious NetZero 2040 target. Two weeks’ ago, the Institute held a dedicated Roundtable event on the subject with Chief of Staff Capability for the RAF, Air Vice-Marshal Linc Taylor, in the chair.

Deciphering the National Space Strategy: Cloudy with a chance of cohesion

After much anticipation the UK National Space Strategy (NSS) is finally in print. Freeman Institute PhD student, Julia Balm analyses the document. She finds that it provides a more general and vague overview on UK space ambitions rather than a detailed strategic blueprint. Despite this the existence of a national space strategy should not be understated, she argues, as it sheds some light on the implications of a meaningful approach to space for the UK.

Deciphering the National Space Strategy: Cloudy with a chance of cohesion

What Should Artificial Intelligence do for Air and Space Power in the UK?

Professor Patrick Baker explores Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a 5 part blog series, considering the challenges it presents in a defence context, and its potential contributions to air and space power.

Read the blog series here

Carrier Strike Group 21: In Conversation with RAdm Connell and AVM Marshall

Hosted by the Freeman Air and Space Institute, hear Rear Admiral Connell and Air Vice-Marshal Marshall reflect on the CSG deployment and what this means for the future.

Watch the full event online here

We Need to Talk About RAF Air Transport

Air mobility isn’t just an enabler, as the mobilisation of the air transport fleet for the Afghanistan operation demonstrates: this is air mobility as air power. Two ex-RAF defence commentators, our very own Dr Sophy Antrobus and Andy Netherwood, come together to discuss.

We need to talk about RAF Air Transport

An Introduction to Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Professor Martin Parr has written a precis to his longer paper published by the Freeman Air and Space Institute where he introduces Automation and Artificial Intelligence and how they are enhancing air and space organisations.

An Introduction to Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Collisions in space: How the UK needs to plan for Space Traffic Management

A viewpoint considering the challenges of Space Traffic Management in an increasingly congested domain in which currently the UK does not have a credible and robust system that can meet defence and civil space requirements.

Read it here

Reflections on the Integrated Review: 'In Conversation' with Air Marshal Andrew Turner

Hosted by the Freeman Air and Space Institute, Air Marshal Andrew Turner in conversation with Lady Moira Andrews reflects on the Integrated Review 2 months on.

Watch the full event online here

See It To Be It: Women Leading in Air and Space

The Freeman Air and Space Institute hosted a panel of leading women researching and working in air and space power, as part of its commitment to improving diversity in this field and marking the Institute formally becoming a supporting signatory to the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter.

Watch the full event online here

In Conversation with the UK's Leading Space Commanders

The Freeman Air and Space Institute, in partnership with Airbus, were delighted to host the first ever in conversation event between the UK’s leading space commanders Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey and Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth.

Watch the full event online here

Ambition versus Affordability: Tackling the Defence Review Dilemma

Dr David Jordan discusses his paper, The Defence Review Dilemma: The British Experience and considers ahead of the upcoming Integrated Review the desire of successive British governments to play a significant world role despite financial difficulties which has led to an uncomfortable imbalance between commitment and resources.

Ambition versus Affordability: Tackling the Defence Review Dilemma

Imagining the RAF in 2040: The Chief of the Air Staff speaks from the future

Dr Sophy Antrobus reflects on Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston’s 2021 Trenchard Memorial Lecture for RUSI, in which he imagines what the RAF might look like in 2040, using sci-fi narratives to enable us to envisage a vibrant future for UK air power.

Imagining the RAF in 2040: The Chief of the Air Staff speaks from the future

British Spacepower and the Integrated Review - 20 November

The Freeman Air and Space Institute held a virtual event in November for the release of their paper written by Dr Bleddyn Bowen examining the role of spacepower and space policy in the context of the Integrated Review. We then had a panel of experts comment on the paper followed by a question and answer session.

Watch the full event online here

What might we expect from the government's Integrated Review?

In this comment piece, Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman looks at the challenges ahead for the government in deciding how to fund defence and foreign policy in the next Integrated Review.

What might we expect from the government's Integrated Review?

Freeman Air & Space Institute Launch and Roundtable - 23 September

The Freeman Air and Space Institute was launched at an online event in September involving politicians, former civil servants and air and space industry professionals.

Find out more

Cold comfort: the challenges facing the RAF’s return to the Arctic

A year after the British government’s Integrated Review and its proclaimed ‘Indo-Pacific Tilt’, the events presently unfolding in Ukraine underscore the fragility of the Euro‑Atlantic region and the imperative to focus on a 360° view of defence. Within this context, Britain’s 2022 publication of its inaugural Defence Arctic Strategy is an opportune moment to reflect on the United Kingdom’s contribution to the defence of Europe’s northern flank.

Cold comfort: the challenges facing the RAF’s return to the Arctic

Gaining and maintaining advantage in space: Space Domain Awareness or Space Domain Understanding?

In October 2019, Deputy Commander US Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), Major General John Shaw directed AFSPC to stop using the term Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and in its place use Space Domain Awareness (SDA). Since then, there has been debate as to how the two differ, and how each coexists alongside other activities such as Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) and Space Traffic Management (STM).

Gaining and maintaining advantage in space: Space Domain Awareness or Space Domain Understanding?

Information Lever of Power

Wing Commander Keith Slack explores a ‘non-traditional’ view of information power presenting a conceptualisation where all the other levers of power ultimately contribute to and enable the information lever of power. He presents six characteristics of information power to highlight its importance, which include: intangibility, dynamism, amplification, ubiquity, relational and entropy.

Information Lever of Power

Operation Guardian of the Walls: Grey zone responses to conventional airpower

Flight Lieutenant Jacob Davies examines how Hamas have innovated in response to Israel’s use of air power. He argues that the example of Hamas in Gaza provides instructive lessons on how insurgents recognise the strengths of airpower and can adapt to nullify the conventional strengths of the state.

Operation Guardian of the Walls

An Introduction to Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Professor Martin Parr looks at the beginnings of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence and how they are enhancing air and space organisations. He contrasts the civilian commercial applications of this technology, with the challenges in the air and space organisations, along with the risks involved and considers a possible direction for the future of air and space.

An Introduction to Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Mediating Space Security: How new and social media are shaping the security discourse

Julia Balm explores how online users and opinion shapers are sculpting the space environment and security discourse through media’s facilitation of engaging space activity related content. She argues that users of new and social media help to develop, enforce, and discuss threat perceptions and normative behaviour, shaping the space security environment.

Mediating Space Security

Space Situational Awareness Warfare

Dr Stuart Eves considers potential developments in Space Situational Awareness Warfare and the possible techniques that could be adopted by a nation wishing to defend its space assets, particularly in a time of crisis.

Space Situational Awareness Warfare

The Defence Review Dilemma: The British Experience

Dr David Jordan considers some of the key features which have been a constant within the defence review process and highlights the challenges that the 2021 Integrated Review will face if it is to avoid becoming another example of the policy ambitions of British governments not being sufficiently resourced.

The Defence Review Dilemma: The British Experience

A Response by Phil Lester

Invented and Predicted Futures: Britain and the Challenge of Air Defence

Dr David Jordan analyses the ways in which the UK has sought to shape future air defence. He contrasts the successful efforts of the 1920s and 1930s with the flawed approach adopted in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with lessons to inform defence planning today.

Invented and predicted futures

A Response by Tim Jefferis

The Integrated Review and UK Spacepower: The Search for Strategy

Dr Bleddyn Bowen examines the role of UK spacepower and space policy in defence, putting forward recommendations for the British government in the context of the Integrated Review.

British Spacepower and the Integrated Review

A Response by Phil Lester

Britain's Air Defences: Inventing the Future?

Dr David Jordan argues that the UK's air defence requires a careful, balanced approach, which blends the adoption and integration of new technologies with some long-standing principles, which would not be unfamiliar to those who fought, and won, the Battle of Britain 80 years ago.

Britain's Air Defences: Inventing the Future?

Next Generation Command and Control

Wing Commander Ben Sharp argues that as the Royal Air Force moves towards becoming a next generation air force, it requires additional investment in its command and control capability, in order for this already essential aspect of air and space power to become its most important role.

Next Generation Command and Control