Ministry of Defence publishes Space Capability Management Plan
The CMT aims to achieve 3 main objectives:
- Direct capability development – the Space CMP draws on direction laid out in the Defence Space Strategy in order to articulate capability development, and delivery plans for specified capabilities managed by Defence Space. The Space CMP translates the strategy into a capability plan, and demonstrates clear intent for future initiatives and capability change. It also indicates priorities for investment or for maturation through research.
- Coherent capability development – the Space CMP provides direction and guidance from capability sponsors to all stakeholders, to define how space capabilities will be developed coherently across Defence, and in accordance with wider capability and procurement policies.
- Direct innovation, research and experimentation – the Space CMP, through the Capability Planning Group, provides direction on including horizon-scanning, managing the bidding for resources, defining evidence requirements and ensuring evidence delivery and exploitation of opportunities from emerging technologies.
The 5 themes which will showcase how this will be achieved are also laid out in the Space CMP.
- Exploiting integration and connectivity benefits between space capabilities.
- Capitalising on dual-use opportunities across Defence and Civil Space Domains.
- Ensuring value for money decisions across the Enterprise when securing capabilities.
- Coordinating collaboration with industry, academia and other key partners.
- Cohering learning, development and knowledge spillovers across the Enterprise.
Most notably, the Space CMT demonstrates both short and long term goals for Defence, whilst ensuring integration and connectivity between capabilities throughout their development. In order to support UK national security and Defence needs, the plan presents the Short-Term Focus (2022-2025) and Long Term Ambitions (2026-2030) of each of the seven identified critical capabilities spanning the Space domain:
- Satellite Communications (SATCOM)
- Space Domain Awareness (SDA)
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
- Space Command and Control (C2)
- Space Control
- Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT)
- Launch
The first part of the Space CMP is primarily intended for wider Defence and industry. It is useful to note that it is an iterative document and will be progressively updated. The whole document can be found here.
Fred Sugden
Fred Sugden
Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
Outside of work, Fred's interests include football (a Watford FC fan) and skiing.
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