Symposium: Integrating Innovative Airpower

The Sir Richard Williams Foundation will cohost a symposium on Integrating Innovative Airpower with the Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen on 17 April 2015 (http://cms.polsci.ku.dk/events/integratingairpower/). 

Following the two seminars run by the Williams Foundation in 2014, "Air Combat Operations - 2025 And Later” and "Battlespace Awareness – The Joint Edge,” the Foundation has teamed with the University of Copenhagen to explore similar themes in a European context, in order to examine how medium and small air forces can use new airpower capabilities to generate innovative concepts of operation that increase joint combat power to address regional and global security issues in the coming years.   Our intent for the symposium is to connect with a range of Air Forces facing the same challenges and opportunities as the RAAF in introducing next Generation Air capabilities in order to build a network within which the Williams Foundation can exchange knowledge and ideas.

The seminar will explore four key trends in airpower since the turn of the millennium.  First, the air forces of many small and medium powers have engaged in expeditionary operations outside of their immediate region for the first time.  Second, they have done so in a coalition context that has pushed them to modernize their existing capabilities, become more familiar with new mission types, work out new concepts of operations, and better integrate with the forces of partners and Allies.  Third, these air forces have faced financial constraints driven by the costs of operations and the defence budget cuts following the financial crisis of 2008.  Finally, they have faced the need to recapitalize their combat air fleets.

Confirmed speakers at the Symposium include:

• Lieutenant General Pasquale Preziosa (Chief, Italian Air Force)
• Air Vice-Marshal (ret) John Blackburn (Williams Foundation)
• Dr. Gary Schaub (Centre for Military Studies)
• Lieutenant Colonel Chip Berke (USMC lead-F-35 integration; F/A-18, F-22, & F-35 pilot)
• Group Captain Paul Godfrey (Royal Air Force-F-35 integration team; Harrier, Typhoon, F-16 pilot)
• Dr. Peter Viggo Jakobsen (Royal Danish Defence College)
• Mr. Robbin Laird (USAF Association Mitchell Institute)
• Mr. Ed Timperlake (former Director, Technology Assessment, International Technology Security (Office of the Secretary of Defence)

We will also have senior representatives of the Royal Danish Air Force, Finnish Air Force, Royal Netherlands Air Force and the the European Air Group participating and we have extended invitations to senior representatives of other European Air Forces

A Reception follow the event.