King's College London

Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Royal Air Force embarked on innovative experiments with new technologies to support Ukrainian forces in repelling Moscow’s aggression. A notable development was the arming of Ukrainian Su-24 aircraft with British Stormshadow missiles in May 2023. While integrating the missile onto the RAF’s Typhoon aircraft had taken four years of trials, the RAF’s swiftly-assembled High Risk Operations Cell managed to achieve the same for Ukraine's Su-24s in just 10 weeks in 2023. 

Collaborating with the RAF’s Air Capability Director, Sophy initiated a research project to examine the RAF’s approach to risk, uncovering a trend towards risk aversion in the force over three decades of ‘wars of choice’. 

Her research paper, titled ‘An Applied History of the RAF’s approach to risk and implications for modern warfighting’, was published as a Freeman Paper in December 2023.

It was subsequently used in by the Chief of the Air Staff in his submission to the Military Capability Board (MCB) in September 2024. The MCB, chaired by the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Capability), is responsible for strategic force development across defence and making recommendations to the Armed Forces Committee and Defence Board. Sophy’s paper was cited in the submission, advocating for the creation of a methodology for procuring and using High Risk Capabilities to address a lack of risk appetite, and the proposal was endorsed. As a result, the MOD has updated its policy on risk and operational capability.

Congratulations to Sophy on this great achievement.