The Freeman Air and Space Institute, in association with the Cranwellian Association are pleased to host ‘Future Deterrence: threats & challenges’.

This online panel event will explore the latest trends in modern deterrence, with Panellists ready to further the conversation surrounding emerging challenges, current threats and the future of short & long-term deterrence.

Our three speakers will consider the importance of NATO, the role of strategic nuclear deterrents and highlight the importance of cyber, space, artificial intelligence and ‘grey-zone’ aggression. 

Panellists include Elisabeth Braw, Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Centre for Strategy and Security, FASI Visiting Professor Sir Christopher Coville, and FASI Visiting Professor Peter Watkins.

The panel will be followed by a Q&A session chaired by FASI Co-Director, Dr David Jordan.

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Chair

Dr David Jordan
Dr David Jordan is the Co-Director of the Freeman Air & Space Institute and Deputy Head (Planning, Staffing & Resources) of the Defence Studies Department, King’s College London.

David joined King’s in 2000, and has held a number of roles, including Director of Teaching, Academic Director for the RAF Division at the Defence Academy, Academic Director (Air) for the Advanced Command & Staff Course, and as Air Warfare Historian to the Higher Command & Staff Course. He is currently the Academic Director (Air) for the Advanced Command & Staff Course.

He is also a Director of the RAF Centre for Air & Space Power Studies (RAFCASPS) and a member of the Chief of the Air Staff’s Air Power Workshop. David is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Arts.

Panellists

Elisabeth Braw
Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, where she focuses on defense against gray-zone and hybrid threats as well as the intersection between geopolitics and the globalized economy. She’s also a columnist with Foreign Policy and Politico Europe and the author of the award-winning Goodbye, Globalization: The Return of a Divided World (Yale University Press: 2024). She leads the Transatlantic Security Initiative’s “Threats to the global maritime order” project.

Braw was previously a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. She’s the author of God’s Spies (2019) and The Defender’s Dilemma: Identifying and Deterring Gray-Zone Aggression (2022), a member of GALLOS Technologies’ advisory board, a member of the United Kingdom’s National Preparedness Commission, a member of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy’s advisory council, and an adviser to Willis Towers Watson’s research arm. Prior to joining academia, she worked in the private sector following a career as a journalist.

Sir Christopher Coville
Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville is a Visiting Professor with the Freeman Air and Space Institute in the School of Security Studies. Sir Christopher joined the Royal Air Force in 1964 as a Flight Cadet at the RAF College Cranwell. After flying training, he served several tours of duty as an operational Lightning and Phantom pilot in the Air Defence role. His early career included staff and command appointments, including commanding No 111 (Fighter) Squadron, a spell in the Falkland Islands in 1983 as Officer Commanding Operations Wing, and later command of RAF Coningsby. Later he held senior appointments in Command, in NATO and in the MOD.

Peter Watkins
Peter Watkins was the Director General Strategy & International (2017-18) and Director General Security Policy (2014-17) in the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). In these roles, he was responsible for strategic policy & planning; deterrence policy, including nuclear; defence relations with NATO, the EU and with key bilateral allies (US, France, Germany, Australia); and, latterly, defence industrial policy, including exports. Previous roles included Director General of the Defence Academy (2011-14); Director of Operational Policy, MOD (2008-11); Director Typhoon (2007-08). Among earlier assignments, he was Private Secretary to the Defence Secretary (2001-03) and Counsellor (Defence Supply & Aerospace), British Embassy Bonn/Berlin (1996-2000). He was a Visiting Fellow, Harvard University (2006-07). Peter is now a Non-Executive Member of the Board of the UK Space Agency; a Member of the Council of Cranfield University; a Visiting Senior Fellow with LSE IDEAS; and an Associate Fellow of Chatham House. He was awarded a CB and a CBE in the 2019 and 2004 Honours Lists respectively.