Our annual Joint Air and Space Power Conference was held from 8 to 10 October 2024 and focused on ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Air and Space Power in an Evolving Security Environment’.

The conference was opened by a welcome address from Lieutenant General Thorsten Poschwatta, Commander German Air Operations Command, Commander NATO Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, and Executive Director Joint Air Power Competence Centre, followed by the introductory keynote speech of Dr Gergely Németh, Director General of the Hungarian Defence Innovation Research Institute.

The first panel discussed the global security changes, the ripple effects of shifting power dynamics, the changing landscape of warfare and the need for the alliance to adapt to deter and prevail in future conflicts effectively. The afternoon of the first day was opened by Dr Jyh-Shyang Sheu from the Taiwan Institute for National Defence and Security Research, outlining the current challenges for his country. The subsequent panel then examined the role of joint air and space power in contemporary conflict.

The second conference day opened with a keynote address by General Stephen N. Whiting, Commander of United States Space Command. The third panel discussed how the proliferation of advanced drones, loitering munitions and precision missiles challenges the conventional paradigms of air dominance and how NATO needs to adapt. The concluding panel debated the industry’s contribution to enhancing NATO Allies’ dedication to the defence sector in maintaining the necessary production capacity for defence during peace, crisis, and the preparation for conflict escalation.

We want to thank our moderator, speakers, panellists, and the audience for their contributions to excellent and thought-provoking discussions about the challenges and opportunities for air and space power in an evolving security environment.

We look forward to next year’s Joint Air and Space Power Conference, which will be held again at the Congress Centre Essen, Germany, from 30 September to 2 October 2025.