Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide

Features

The space domain and UK security

In a recent interview with DSEI Senior Defence Advisor, Air Vice-Marshal (ret’d) Gary Waterfall, Air Vice Marshal Harv Smyth, Head of the UK Space Directorate, highlighted the vital role of the space domain for UK security.

Air Vice Marshal Harvey Smyth, CB, OBE, DFC is a Northern Irish Royal Air Force officer. From July 2018, he served as Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group. In February 2020, he took up the new post of Director Space, UK, in the Ministry of Defence.

Smyth’s new post covers up to 25 civilians and military personnel involved in finance, policy and capabilities which aim to support the new space directorate in the Ministry of Defence's Main Building. No. 23 Squadron RAF had been reformed, as a space squadron, "responsible for day-to-day space command-and-control" and the remote control and manoeuvring of satellites. Smyth was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2020 Birthday Honours.

Advertisement
ODU RT

AVM Smyth joined DSEI Senior Defence Advisor, Air Vice-Marshal (ret’d) Gary Waterfall in December for an all-round conversation on the importance of the space domain for national security, his future priorities and the role of industry in the UK space race.

He stressed that space as a domain “is becoming more contested and congested” and laid out his priorities moving forward. These include creating a National Space Strategy which has both civil and military dimensions, turning proposals into deliverables and setting up Space Command in the first half of 2021.

AVM Smyth also referred to the Defence Space Enterprise portfolio, a series of forward-thinking R&D programmes, to be launched within the next 18 months, which set up the foundation for the future.

Pointing out that the Outer Space Treaty 1967 is focused mostly on nuclear weapons, he also touched upon the need to set norms and rules and create “new UN resolutions with regards to life in space”.

Industry is also set to play a key role in supporting the UK’s space race. To this end, AVM Smyth suggested that businesses should identify potential areas for international cooperation and carefully assess their access to key commercial markets based on the nation’s need for sovereign capabilities.

Advertisement
ODU RT

 

 

Advertisement
Roke Roke
How to win the technical talent battle

Features

How to win the technical talent battle

27 March 2025

Tom Rowe-Jones, Director at LAVA Advisory Partners, examines the fundementals that underpin strategies aimed at attracting and retaining technical engineering talent.

Going beyond lean

Features

Going beyond lean

18 March 2025

Andrew Brough, a director at management consultancy Vendigital and Isabelle Russell, an account manager at Siemens UK, look at advancement of digital technologies and training to develop an innovation mindset aimed at boosting productivity and profits.

Staying ahead of laser tech

Features

Staying ahead of laser tech

21 February 2025

Sean Tipper, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder at Sentinel Photonics, examines how evolving laser technology is changing the threat landscape.

Why airlines are keeping older aircraft flying longer

Features

Why airlines are keeping older aircraft flying longer

17 February 2025

While airlines struggle to access timely engine maintenance, Tom Cash, Director, Foxmere, explains how to maximise aircraft maintenance efforts during these turbulent times.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Deploying a highly skilled workforce for defence

Features

Deploying a highly skilled workforce for defence

6 February 2025

Gordon Woodward, Managing Director, M&E Global, provides insights into effectively developing a highly skilled workforce for the expanding defence sector.

Building steps towards CNI resilience

Features

Building steps towards CNI resilience

10 January 2025

Peter Lenk, Technical Lead at Goldilock, sets out the key steps for building a timeline of resilience for the protection of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Advertisement
ODU RT