RAeS Boscombe Down Branch Lecture: Defence and Security in Difficult Times

Sir Brian Burridge, FRAeS, Chief Executive, Royal Aeronautical Society
Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Sir Brian Burridge's career included 10 years with Leonardo, a global high-tech manufacturer in the aerospace, defence and technology sectors. During that time, he chaired the innovation hub of the Defence Growth Partnership. Prior to that, Sir Brian spent a full career as a pilot in the Royal Air Force holding a front-line command at every level in the Service, including the national joint command in the 2003 Iraq War. He also spent several years in the UK Ministry of Defence in policy posts and left the RAF in 2006 as Commander-in-Chief Strike Command.

Sir Brian read physics and electronic engineering at Manchester University and holds an MBA from the Open University and two honorary doctorates. Previously a research fellow at King’s London, he is now a visiting professor at the University of Reading.

With the Government’s Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper to be published in the second half of March, this lecture will give some first impressions on the likely effectiveness of Britain’s defence posture in addressing the threats of the future, not least the increasing need to be doctrinally and practically equipped for fighting in the grey zone.

The lecture will also seek to analyse the likely adoption of advanced technology and the evidence that this will be pulled-through to future capability, particularly in combat air. In so doing, it will draw conclusions on the impact on the nation’s science ecosystem and especially the Defence Technology and Industrial Base.