Our Principal Space Consultant, Dr Tim Adcock, has recently collaborated with the Freeman Air & Space Institute (FASI) – part of King's College London – on an academic paper exploring the projection of Space Power. This joint effort combines Dr Adcock's expertise with FASI's renowned reputation in the field, delving into the intricacies of space exploitation and its wide-ranging implications.
Despite our considerable dependence on space-based services, many remain unaware of its impact on daily life – and fewer still recognise the strategic significance of space. Given our reliance on space-based systems, ‘protect’ and ‘defend’ are terms that have recently become ever more central to the UK’s approach to Space Power projection.
As reliance on space-based systems grows, ensuring freedom of action in the space domain is vital for the UK's national security and economic interests. However, there is ambiguity around what the terms ‘protect’ and ‘defend’ mean operationally; Dr Tim’s paper explores these concepts in the context of UK Space Power projection.
The paper traces the emergence of "protect and defend" in UK space strategy documents and related military doctrine, including the 2021 Integrated Review as well as the National and Defence Space Strategies.
Examining UK and NATO military doctrine relevant to other operating domains can provide some context, with ’protect’ framed as preventing threats from exploiting vulnerabilities, while ‘defend’ relates to combat operations against an attacker. However, these general definitions lack specificity for space operations.
Within UK space strategy documents ‘protect and defend’ is often used to headline a broad theme, while UK Space Command identify each as being distinct parts of their strategic mission. In each instance, lack of clear, defined meanings hinders the ability to assess progress. To resolve this ambiguity, Dr Tim Adcock defines these terms as:
Protect: outside of attack, interference or hazards, negate opportunities for a space system/force to be rendered operationally ineffective.
Defend: in response to attack, interference or hazards, actively prevent a space system/force from being rendered operationally ineffective.
This framing establishes ‘protect’ as the desired steady-state effect achieved through deterrence as well as passive and or active defensive operations, or a mix thereof. ‘Defend’ is an active effect, only relevant when responding to an imminent or actual attack.
The paper then examines how these effects could be delivered through Space Control operations as defined in UK military space doctrine: using offensive actions to deny adversary space capabilities and defensive actions to assure friendly access. It also considers the role of ‘soft power’: diplomatic, legal and regulatory measures in achieving desired levels of space control outside of military operations.
“Whilst the UK has been active in the space domain for several decades, the emergence of UK Space Command has underlined and invigorated the UK’s intent to exploit that domain in support of national strategic aims. As we refine our understanding of Space Power projection associated military doctrine must adapt and change accordingly. Maintaining freedom of action within the space domain is a critical aspect of any modern day joint military operation, and as part of that ‘Protect’ and ‘Defend’ are activities that are of paramount importance. Clearly, defining these terms not only aids our understanding of those activities but acts as the benchmark by which we can assess our efficacy in achieving them.”
Before joining Inzpire, Tim had a 20-year career in the RAF, where he held senior roles in space operations. He played a central role in the development of UK military space capability, serving as Space Tactics and Training Officer at 92 Squadron. He was also lead instructor at the Air & Space Warfare School, and later on the UK Space Command’s Qualified Space Instructor programme. Now at Inzpire, Tim is embedded within the Air & Space Warfare Centre (ASWC), supporting the application of space power in live and synthetic environments.
The FASI is an inter-disciplinary initiative of the School of Security Studies at King’s College in London – dedicated to generating original knowledge and understanding of air and space issues. The Institute seeks to inform scholarly, policy and doctrinal debates in a rapidly evolving strategic environment, which is increasing the complexity of both the air and space domains.
FASI identifies, develops and cultivates air and space thinkers, as well as informing and equipping air and space education provision at King’s College and beyond.
Reference: Beyond Buzzwords: Operationalising ‘Protect and Defend’ in UK Space Doctrine.
