The Freeman Air and Space Institute, King's College London, in partnership with Airbus, are delighted to host the first ever in conversation event between the UK’s leading space commanders on Tuesday 23 March.

This will be a unique first opportunity to hear from Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, the inaugural commander of the newly established Space Command, launching on 1 April 2021, as he discusses with Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, Ministry of Defence Director Space, their vision for the future of UK military in space.

Space power is critical both to the UK’s national security and prosperity, at a time when the threat of space warfare is an ever more important challenge. Nations who have dominated the space domain, such as the US, India and China, are seeing competition from emerging space nations as well as from commercial enterprises. The creation of Space Command demonstrates the importance the UK attributes to the role of space in terms of future threats and opportunities.

Based at RAF High Wycombe, Space Command will bring together three functions under a single 2-Star military commander: space operations, space workforce generation and space capability. Our event will see the commanders discuss the future development of Defence Space and this new wing of the military, at an important moment in the future of British space power.

This online event will take the form of a ‘fireside chat’ between the two commanders, followed by questions from an invited panel of defence and space professionals. Unfortunately due a high number of expected attendees, we will not be able to take questions from the audience at this event.

Register via Eventbrite, you will receive details of the Zoom link and login via an automated email and reminder emails. Please note this event will be recorded.

Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey

Paul Godfrey was announced as the inaugural Commander of UK Space Command in Feb 2021. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1991 and has been a fighter pilot for most of his career, including as a weapons instructor on the Harrier and one of the first operational pilots on the Eurofighter Typhoon. Between 2015 and 2017, Paul was Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland before moving to the Ministry of Defence as head of Carrier Enabled Power Projection. He recently returned from Al Udeid airbase in Qatar, where he was responsible for the planning and employment of coalition air and space power across the Middle East within the USAF Combined Air and Space Operations Centre.

Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth

Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth is UK’s Director Space, leading the Space Directorate in the Ministry of Defence (MOD), responsible for defence space strategy, policy, capability planning and cross-Government & International coherency. Harv joined the RAF in 1991. After qualifying as a fast-jet pilot, he spent 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor, flying hundreds of operational missions. In 2013 Harv retrained as a Tornado pilot and became the Station Commander of RAF Marham. Promoted to Air Vice-Marshal in 2018, Harv retrained as a Typhoon pilot and became Air Officer Commanding Number 1 Group.

The Freeman Air and Space Institute

The Freeman Air and Space Institute, based in the School of Security Studies, King’s College London, provides independent, original knowledge and understanding of air and space issues. Sign up to the mailing list for updates.

Airbus

Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The Company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defence, and connected services. In commercial aircraft, Airbus offers modern and fuel-efficient airliners and associated services. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and security and one of the world's leading space businesses. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions and services worldwide.