GovWire

The Space Capability Management Plan (CMP), from UK Space Command, provides detail for Defence and wider industry on UK Space Commands capability development. It has three main objectives:

• Direct capability development: The Space CMP draws on direction in the Defence Space Strategy in order to articulate capability development, and delivery plans for specified capabilities managed by Defence Space. In this respect, the Space CMP translates 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.
• Cohere 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.
• Directs 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.

This first part of the Space CMP is primarily intended for wider Defence and industry. It is an iterative document and will be progressively updated. The detail, for internal UK Space Command and Strategic Command use, is captured in Annexes at higher classifications.

Defence has a long and rich space heritage.

As far back as the 1960s, RAF Fylingdales became operational initially as a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System but with a secondary role for space surveillance. The UK was also the first nation to launch a military communications satellite (SKYNET 1A) into geostationary orbit.

Now more than ever, we depend upon space to support the very life that we live and to ensure that military operations can deliver across the spectrum of national security risks.

Building on the launch of the UKs first National Space Strategy, the Defence Space Strategy was published in February 2022 and UK Space Command reached Initial Operating Capability in April 2022. We are now launching the first Space Capability Management Plan focusing on the next ten years. This decade will see delivery of the next generation of military satellites and ground communications nodes, networks and architectures using the very latest technologies, alongside collaborating with our allies and accessing rapidly developing commercial capabilities.

Despite being around long before the other domains, space is the most recent to be recognised as an operational domain. As such, I see the Space Capability Management Plan being an iterative document which will mature as our knowledge, experience, doctrine, concepts and capabilities develop.

You might argue that space remains somewhat of an enigma, acknowledged by all but understood by few. I hope that this initial Plan both resolves any misconceptions and manages expectations. Furthermore, that it will foster a forum of ideas within wider government, industry, academia and among our allies as we continue our journey in space innovation and capability delivery.

Cdre David Moody
UK Space Command, Head of Capability