Air Marshal (Ret’d) Greg Bagwell CBE
President, The Air & Space Power Association
The UK has a proud and strong heritage in the aerospace domain. It is one of our most valuable commodities, which generates and sustains both national growth and a highly skilled workforce in cutting-edge technologies.
We take much of it for granted today, with air travel commonplace and space-enabled services purring away in the background – unseen, unappreciated and little understood – where their assumed continuity of service is never questioned – until they fail. But it also faces increasing competition from those who might do us harm.
We don’t need to look far to see how dangerous our world has become, with ‘bad actors’ who attack sovereignty, democracy and life itself. Whether it be disruptive attacks in space or long-range missile and drone strikes, air and space power can bring the horrors of war into our cities and our homes, no matter how safe we might think we are.
Military and civil tech crossover
Increasingly, today, the technology we see in our homes is now synonymous with that once reserved for militaries and government agencies. Indeed, many of the greatest advancements today stem from private investment and commercial entities, not the secret research and development agencies of governments. But one thing is still clear, and has been since the advent of the aircraft, air and space power remains one of our most powerful means for standing up to those who may do us harm.
Appreciation of air and space
The Air & Space Power Association aims to promote an understanding and appreciation of air and space power in and to the UK. We find that for many, air and space are held in almost romantic awe, where the reference points are the Battle of Britain or Neil Armstrong’s first step.
The truth is far more complex, wonderful and dangerous than any of those, and we felt the time was right to produce our first official publication. It tries to make the incredibly complex simple, but most importantly it tries to raise awareness as to how fragile, yet vital it is to keep us safe. We commend it, and you can access the free e-book version online.
