Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, AO, DSC, officially launched the Air and Space Power Centre on December 2, 2020 in Canberra.
The Air Power Development Centre has supported the development of Air Power concepts and strategies since 2004. Various factors meant a change in direction was required for the Air Force’s air power think tank, including the changing strategic environment; realisation that space is a warfighting domain in its own right; and the simple fact that Air Power is not only delivered by Air Force.
But, the change is more than just in name.
The Air and Space Power Centre is a key element in supporting the Air Force Strategy 2020 and in developing future generations of Air and Space Power strategic thinkers and practitioners. The key to AFSTRAT’s success is involvement. From anyone with an interest, professional or otherwise, in strategic air and space power thinking.
In providing a forum for the contest of air and space power ideas, this Centre will inform future strategies for air and space power’s use in pursuit of our national interests. It will shape our thinking about the capabilities we need to achieve those strategies. And it will embed continued reform of Air Force culture as it becomes more integrated into the Joint Force.” said AIRMSHL Hupfeld at the ASPC launch.
ASPC will focus on changing the narrative from ‘Air Power by Air Force’ to one that reflects the joint contributions to, and effects of, air and space power. Contributing to the broader understanding of air and space power effects within the joint environment is not only required under the 2020 Air Force Strategy, it means the Air Force contribution to joint planning and operations will be better considered and received.
ASPC is establishing ways for everyone in Air Force, across the Department of Defence and our wider stakeholders to access and consume information. While physical publications will remain available, the emphasis will be on digital distribution, including crowd sourced blogs, webinars, podcasts and e-books.
We are really excited about some of the new initiatives we are developing to make contributing to air and space power thinking more accessible to everyone. New ideas are no longer going to be the sole purview of those posted to the Centre. It is our job to find ways for everyone to be able to propose, develop and share their ideas, to learn and to have the confidence to contest ideas to generate new solutions for old problems. ASPC will launch a number of new initiatives from January 2021 that will open learning and development pathways, and make information more accessible to more people.” said GPCAPT Jason Begley, Director, ASPC
ASPC is looking forward to working with Defence Commanders and personnel at all levels, and partners in academia and think tanks, other Government agencies and our military allies and partners to create a supportive, challenging and insightful community. For more information on how you can consume, contribute and contest ideas, check out the Air and Space Power Centre internet and intranet pages (link), and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.