United Kingdom Space Command
UK Space Command badge
Founded1 April 2021 (3 years)
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
TypeJoint space command
RoleSpace operations
HeadquartersRAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Commanders
CommanderAir Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey
Patch

United Kingdom Space Command (UKSC) is a joint command of the British Armed Forces organised under the Royal Air Force,[1][2] and staffed by personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and the British Civil Service.[3] The UKSC has three functions: space operations, space workforce generation, and space capability.[4]

UK Space Command was established on 1 April 2021 under the command of Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey.[4] Godfrey is of equal rank to the commanders of the RAF's Groups. The new command has "responsibility for not just operations, but also generating, training and growing the force, and also owning the money and putting all the programmatic rigour into delivering new ... capabilities."[1] UKSC headquarters is at RAF High Wycombe co-located with Air Command.[5]

When fully operationally capable, UK Space Command will "provide command and control of all of Defence’s space capabilities, including [the] UK Space Operations Centre, Skynet (satellite) communications, RAF Fylingdales, and other enabling capabilities."[3] The command was initially planned to grow to about 650 personnel.[6]

Defence Command Paper and Space Strategy

In a March 2021 Defence Command Paper it was announced that part of the additional £1.4 billion allocated to support UK Space Command over the next decade would be used to develop a new Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellite capability,[7][8] following on from the Carbonite-2 technology demonstrator launched in 2018.[9]

History

On 22 April 2021 it was announced that Air Commodore Mark Flewin was to become Head Operations, Plans & Training, United Kingdom Space Command, Royal Air Force High Wycombe in May 2021.[10]

As of 2021 Commodore David C. Moody (Engineering Branch, RN) was posted in as Head of Space Capability for UK Space Command.[11]

In February 2022, the first part of the Defence Space Strategy was published, which included the already announced extra investment of £1.4 billion over 10 years mostly for the development of the multi-satellite surveillance and intelligence ISTARI system.[12] The strategy announced that the UK would adopt an "international by design" approach, and is the first state to publicly join the U.S. led Operation Olympic Defender, enabling international sharing of space resources and the synchronisation of space efforts. The UK will strengthen relations with the Five Eyes intelligence partnership.[13]

Operational concept demonstrator satellites for the ISTARI system, with electro-optical sensors and onboard processing, are planned for launch in 2024, under project MINERVA.[14]

Structure

UK Space Operations Centre badge

As of September 2021, the structure of UK Space Command comprised:[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Q&A: Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth talks UK Space Command". Airforce Technology. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. ^ Pawlyk, Oriana (May 6, 2021). "A British Space Force? 'Never Say Never,' Says UK General". Military.com.
  3. ^ a b "UK Space Command". Ministry of Defence. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Air Commodore Paul Godfrey announced as Commander United Kingdom Space Command". Royal Air Force. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  5. ^ "UK Space Command at RAF High Wycombe - Air Commodore Paul Godfrey to lead". Bucks Free Press. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  6. ^ "UK Space Command: Staff". TheyWorkForYou.
  7. ^ Defence in a competitive age (PDF) (Report). Ministry of Defence. March 2021. pp. 44–45. CP 411. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  8. ^ Darling, Daniel (26 March 2021). "The U.K. Defense Command Paper in Review". Defense & Security Monitor. Forecast International. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  9. ^ Allison, George (1 March 2018). "Royal Air Force surveillance satellite launched into space". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Senior Appointments". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  11. ^ "No. 63464". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 September 2021. p. 15744.
  12. ^ "UK cutting-edge space defence backed by £1.4 billion" (Press release). Ministry of Defence. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022 – via gov.uk.
  13. ^ Defence Space Strategy: Operationalising the Space Domain (PDF). Ministry of Defence. February 2022. ISBN 978-1-5286-2899-0. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  14. ^ Savage, Olivia (11 May 2022). "Defence Space 2022: UK Space Command details future plans". Jane's. IHS. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  15. ^ "UK Space Command structure and PNG files - a Freedom of Information request to Royal Air Force". WhatDoTheyKnow. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
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