History and Constitution

The Air & Space Power Association was formed in May 1947 for those who had served in the RAF or Air Ministry on public relations duties. The Association was then known as The Air Public Relations Association (APRA). The objective of APRA was ‘To enable members to keep in touch with one another, principally by an annual dinner and an annual general meeting’ but more importantly, ‘To foster a continuing interest in its members in the RAF and its non-regular forces.’ By 1960 there were 146 paid-up members. In 1954 an annual trophy was inaugurated to be awarded for the best work in interpreting the RAF to the public during a period of twelve months between the annual Battle of Britain date (15 September 1940). In 1954 an annual trophy was inaugurated to be awarded for the best work in interpreting the RAF to the public during a period of twelve months between Battle of Britain Days. In 2012, when the Chair and Secretary roles still resided in the Air Staff, the Association was renamed The Air Power Association (APA). With reorganisation and streamlining within the Ministry of Defence, the APA organisation and coordination was transferred to the current small secretariat based in Fairford but Patronage remained with the serving Chief of the Air Staff. The Executive Committee includes an enthusiastic cadre of specialist volunteers. In 2019 the Chief of the Air Staff decreed that the Association should be known as The Air and Space Power Association (ASPA) in recognition of the growing importance of Space as a new operational domain. 

The Association operates as a not for profit company limited by guarantee. The trading arm of the ASPA, APA Associated Enterprises Ltd, delivers the Chief of the Air Staff’s Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference and the Defence Space Conference.