Battlespace Advantage Symposium 2027
23-24 March 2027
Venue:
IET, Savoy Place, London
Dominating the Skies: Agile, Integrated and Ready
‘In 2026, the rate of change in the global strategic environment shows no signs of abating, if anything, the tempo is increasing. However, there is a constant – the need for air and space power to dominate the skies and beyond. Mastering our domain is what we do; to provide the joint and coalition force with the freedom of action it needs to secure the battlespace, our nations, our interests, and our way of life. This is the ultimate team game; we cannot do this alone.
GASCC26 will explore the challenge and stimulate debate amongst the team who are responsible for delivering agility, integration, and readiness to global air and space power today, tomorrow and together. I look forward to seeing you at the merge!’
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth
Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Air Force
About the Global Air & Space Chiefs’ Conference
The Chief of the Air Staff’s Global Air & Space Chiefs’ Conference brings together global leaders in Air and Space Power with captains of industry and technology enhanced by experts from international academia.
The conference explores the strategic challenges facing the Royal Air Force and Whole Force partners as well as international partners and global allies through a combination of keynote speakers, presentations and diverse panels formed of military, academic, industrial and other scientific and practitioner experts. The conference annually attracts 550 senior military and business personnel, including over 50 chiefs of the air and space forces and other force commands. It leads into the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford.
Held at the Institution of Engineering & Technology, Savoy Place, London, the Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference features conference, networking areas and displays and an exclusive reception on the evening of Day One. The conference is also broadcast for virtual attendees.
Conference Theme:
Dominating the Skies and Beyond – Agile, Integrated and Ready
The conference theme explores three key capability areas: space, nuclear and integrated air and missile defence. These focus areas are critical to the UK and our fellow air and space chiefs as we develop and deliver domination of the skies.
Day 1 culminates with a panel with the UK’s single Service chiefs to look at how the UK intends to deliver an integrated force. In addition to keynotes from a senior UK minister, the Chief of the Air Staff and international air and space commanders, Day 2 reviews the air and space power lessons in recent conflicts that will enable us to improve our ability to be Agile, Integrated and Ready for the next conflict.
The conference features the following sessions plus Keynote speeches.
1. Back to the Future – Nuclear Air Power
The recent decision to procure the F-35A provides an opportunity for the RAF to return to the nuclear role. After a three-decade sabbatical, the RAF must refresh its ‘nuclear IQ.’ AVM Jim Beck, Director Capability, will lead the first session with informed views from Lieutenant General Stéphane Virem, Strategic Air Force Commander, French Air & Space Force, an Indo-Pacific expert, and a leading industrial figure to discuss re-introducing a critical capability to the UK’s and NATO’s inventory.
2. Space
The second session will explore the space domain. Following a keynote address, a panel of space experts and practitioners will examine how we achieve optimum space domain awareness and what can be done to counter threats to this essential domain.
3. Putting the Integrated into IAMD
With NATO First and Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) both central tenets of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, the third session brings both elements together. Air Vice-Marshal Andy Martin, the UK’s recently appointed Director IAMD, will chair a panel to look at the challenges and opportunities of developing and delivering IAMD, with valuable input from an international air chief, RAND Europe, and industry.
4. Delivering the Integrated Force
The last panel of Day 1 brings the four UK single Service chiefs together on one panel to discuss how they develop and deliver the integrated approach.
5. Identifying the Correct Lessons from Today’s Conflicts
The final panel debates the challenges and opportunities of innovating for multi-domain effect. Air Marshal Al Marshall, the RAF’s Air & Space Commander, will lead the session supported by an international chief, RUSI’s Dr Jack Watling, and a senior industry figure.
Keynote speakers:
- Secretary of State for Defence, Rt Hon John Healey
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Air Force
- Two international air and space force commanders
Other key speakers include:
- General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Royal Navy
- General Sir Rob Magowan, Commander, Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC)
- General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, British Army
- Air Marshal Al Marshall, Air & Space Commander, Royal Air Force
- Lieutenant General Stéphane Virem, Strategic Air Force Commander, French Air & Space Force
- Major General Paul Tedman, Commander, UK Space Command
- Air Vice-Marshal Jim Beck, Director Capability Royal Air Force
- Air Vice-Marshal Andy Martin, Director IAMD, Royal Air Force
International Air & Space Commanders from key allies and partners will join each of the panels.