UK's Space Architecture: Evaluating Dependencies and Allied Support in 2030

The day welcomed a variety of attendees from industry, academia, think tanks, policy circles, and military stakeholders, joining for an interactive day of discussion and evaluation.

The game, set in 2030, was introduced to players as a time where international politics remains dominated by great power competition, regional wars and crises, resource competition, economic challenges and technological innovation.

Consisting of two stages the day started with attendees representing the United Kingdom engaging in the procurement process to decide which space-related capabilities that the UK should be investing in by 2030. The second stage then involved a terrestrial conflict whose outcome would be largely determined by which side manages to control space.

"Our participation in the FASI wargame provided worthwhile insights into the strategic value of space and counter-space capability during conflicts. The wargame clearly demonstrated the importance for countries to integrate commercial space assets and bolster investment in sovereign Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), SATCOM and other Space Situational Awareness capabilities for effective deterrence, and to secure growth in the UK's burgeoning space sector."

The Wargame aimed to encourage attendees to reflect on the US-UK relationship in space and whether (and how) dependencies should be mitigated. The discussion also considered how allied countries (from the Joint Expeditionary Force, Combined Space operations Initiative, and NATO) can support each other's space infrastructure and the role of industry during a military conflict.

Discussion was also encouraged for attendees to exchange views on which space-related capabilities the UK should be prioritising.

The FASI Wargame provided an opportunity for an interesting and diverse group of stakeholders to engage with challenging questions around the space and counter-space capabilities available to the UK and its allies. It also fostered a conversation about areas where the UK may need to invest to assure current and new capabilities are available across a longer timeframe. As part of this, the group engaged in interesting discussions about the trade-offs inherent in investment, procurement, and acquisition decisions. The long-term implications of some of these decisions suggested the need to have conversations about these difficult choices in the very near-term, to ensure capabilities are available over a longer time-horizon