RUSI Combat Air Power Conference 2026

Dr Sophy Antrobus

Senior Research Fellow at the Freeman Air and Space Institute, King's College London

Dr Sophy Antrobus researches contemporary air power in the context of the institutional, cultural and organisational barriers to innovation in modern air forces, in particular the RAF, at the Freeman Air and Space Institute, King’s College London, where she is a Co-Director and Senior Research Fellow.

Her current research areas are on deterrence, integrated air and missile defence, and risk. Previously, Sophy served in the Royal Air Force for twenty years including in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a tour with the Royal Navy.

Dr Justin Bronk

Senior Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology, RUSI

Dr Justin Bronk is the Senior Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology in the Military Sciences team at RUSI, and the Editor of the RUSI Defence Systems online journal.

His particular areas of expertise include the modern combat air environment, Russian and Chinese ground-based air defences and fast jet capabilities, the air war during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, unmanned combat aerial vehicles and novel weapons technology. He has written extensively for RUSI and a variety of external publications, as well as appearing regularly in the international media.

Justin also holds an Associate Professor position at the Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy, and between January 2023 and August 2025 was a Professor II at the same department. His PhD examined Balancing Imagination and Design in British Combat Aircraft Development at the Defence Studies Department of Kings College London. 

Justin is also a private pilot with more than 300 flying hours in light aircraft and gliders. In addition, he has over 35 hours backseat flying experience with 12 different air forces on fast jet types including Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen, Tornado, Mirage 2000, F-15, F-16, F/A-18, MiG-29, M-346, T-38, TA-50 and Hawk.

His PhD examined Balancing Imagination and Design in British Combat Aircraft Development at the Defence Studies Department of Kings College London.  

Justin is also a private light aircraft and glider pilot.

Ian Gale

Chief Growth Officer, Draken

Ian left the Royal Air Force as a 3-star officer and is a highly regarded and respected leader who has a track record of success both within the RAF and across the UK Ministry of Defence. He commissioned in the 1980s, serving as a fast jet pilot and weapons instructor. In 2008 he commanded 31 Squadron, leading operational deployments and exercises overseas and later commanded RAF Lossiemouth.

Ian has worked in MOD, UK Strategic Command and RAF HQ and was an award winning Senior Responsible Owner for many programmes including P8, Wedgetail, Protector and Rivet Joint. As Assistant Chief he was responsible for strategy, political interactions, international relations and RAF brand management. His most recent position in the RAF has been serving as Director General Joint Force Development in UK Strategic Command where his focus was on professional development of the Joint Force and the future of combat techniques.

Having built strategic relationships in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East during his career, his final role as the 3-Star commander of future warfighting plans and the professional military education lead of all UK military and national security personnel led him to Draken as its Chief Growth Officer in 2024.

Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth

Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Air Force

Born and educated in Northern Ireland, Smyth joined the RAF in 1991 as a Direct Entrant via the Sixth Form Scholarship Scheme, and upon completion of flying training, spent 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor. He has extensive combat experience having flown hundreds of operational missions from both land bases and aircraft carriers over: Bosnia; Kosovo; Serbia; Iraq; and Afghanistan. In early staff roles Smyth worked in the UK Air & Space Warfare Centre and spent 2 tours in the F-35 Lightning programme, the latter based in Washington DC as the UK’s F-35 National Director.  

In 2013 Smyth retrained as a Tornado pilot and became the Station Commander of RAF Marham, transitioning the base for F-35 integration. On promotion to Air Commodore (1*) in 2015 he became the Tornado Force Commander and in parallel, the UK’s first F-35 Lightning Force Commander. He followed this with a short appointment in the MOD as the 1* Head of Carrier Enabled Power Projection (CEPP), before deploying to Qatar as Director of the 609^th Combined Air and Space Operations Centre during the height of the Counter-Daesh campaign.

Promoted to Air Vice-Marshal (2*) in 2018, Smyth retrained as a Typhoon pilot and became Air Officer Commanding Number 1 Group (AOC 1Gp), where he was responsible for the Air Combat Group of the RAF. In 2020, Smyth then became UK MOD’s inaugural Director Space, setting the foundation for UK Space Command, building the Defence Space Programme, and producing UK’s foundational National and Defence Space Strategies.

Smyth was promoted to Air Marshal (3*) in 2022 and appointed as the RAF’s Deputy Commander (Operations): this role transitioned to become the UK Air and Space Commander in 2023 and was responsible for the RAF’s global air and space operations.

In 2024 Smyth became the first RAF officer to hold the role of Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations - DCDS (MSO)), responsible for the provision of military advice to senior leadership across government including the Prime Minister, the development of UK military strategy and its integration with partners across government and international allies, and the commissioning of all UK military operations. During this tour Smyth was a routine member of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), COBR, and the National Security Council. 

Promoted to Air Chief Marshal (4*) in August 2025, Smyth was appointed as Chief of the Air Staff, responsible for the strategic planning and delivery of all aspects of Royal Air Force operations, people and capability.  

Smyth is a Patron of the Jon Egging Trust (a charity supporting troubled teenagers), President of RAF Rugby, President of RAF Rowing, President of the RAF Small Arms Association, a Board Member of the Freeman Air and Space Institute, and an ambassador for the RAF Charitable Trust. With strong links to Northern Ireland, Smyth is extremely proud to be Honorary Colonel for the 2nd Battalion (Northern Ireland) Army Cadet Force, Senior Mentor to the Northern Ireland Universities’ Air Squadron (NIUAS), and Patron of the Ulster Aviation Society, Ireland’s sole military aircraft museum. 

Honours 
2003 Distinguished Flying Cross - DFC 
2010 Officer of the Order of the British Empire - OBE
2013 US Meritorious Service Medal
2018 US Legion of Merit
2020 Companion of the Order of the Bath – CB
2025 Knight Commander - KCB

Dr Dan Javorsek

President of EpiSci, Applied Intuition

Prior to joining EpiSci (an Applied Intuition company), Dr Javorsek was the Commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 6. Throughout his Air Force career, he commanded hundreds of personnel executing developmental and operational test and evaluation where he was responsible for over $10B. At AFOTEC Det 6 he led the Operational Test of the A-10, F-15, F-16, F-22, and F-35 (including the Department of the Navy and allied aircraft), along with the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems (FoS) aircraft. During his career he contributed to the development of the Penetrating Counter Air (PCA), Penetrating Electronic Attack (PEA), and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) acquisition programs.

Dr Javorsek is an accomplished test pilot with over 2000 hours of experience in operational, prototype, and demonstrator aircraft. Throughout his career he flew over 50 aircraft ranging from gliders, helicopters, biplanes, amphibs, and warbirds to the Tornado, A-10, and F/A-18. Finally, he held Form 8 and combat mission ready qualifications in the F-16, F-22, F-35, F[1]117, a prototype, and a demonstrator aircraft.

Between operational and flying test assignments he performed duties as a program manager in DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office (STO) and was a researcher with both the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Counterproliferation Center (NCPC) where he developed classified analytical software for nuclear weapon counterproliferation. While at DARPA, he led several Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs focused on the application of autonomy to combat at a variety of scales. From sensor resource management in the Converged Collaborative Elements for Radio Frequency Task Operations (CONCERTO), to aircraft maneuver in the AlphaDogfight Trials and the Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program, to joint all-domain command and control (JADC2) in the Adapting Cross-domain Kill-webs (ACK), he has diligently pursued the democratization of software that prevents vendor lock and exposes the latent capability to adapt resident within the existing warfighting system.

Dr Javorsek received his PhD in Physics from Purdue University and is an accomplished author with over 90 publications including one patent on a rocket engine. He is a US citizen with an active Top Secret security clearance.

Major General Ireneusz Nowak

Deputy Commander, Polish Armed Forces

A graduate of the Air Force Academy in Dęblin in the field of supersonic aircraft pilot, command and staff studies at the National Defense University, postgraduate studies in defense policy at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Maxwell. In 2023, he defended his doctoral dissertation with distinction and holds a PhD in social sciences in the discipline of management and quality science.

During his military career, he went through numerous positions in air units. Starting from the position of a pilot, through the Flight Commander, the Chief of Squadron Training, the Squadron Chief, the Squadron Commander, the Air Operations Group Commander, the Chief of the Tactical Air Branch, the Base Commander, the Deputy Commander of the 2nd Tactical Air Wing, the Commander of the 2nd Tactical Air Wing in Poznań and the General Command of the Armed Forces in Warsaw.

Since 2004, it has been actively involved in the most important modernization programs of military aviation, such as the implementation of the F-16, F-35 and FA-50.

He has instructor qualifications on F-16 (IP) aircraft, including night flights with the use of NVG. He completed the TLP practical course in Albacete (Spain), performing flights as a Mission Commander in the international air groupings COMAO.

He was awarded the Air Cross of Merit, the Silver Medal for Long Service, the Gold Medal of Merit for the Defence of the Country, the Silver Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland, the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of Regaining Independence, the Silver Medal of Merit for the Police, the Pro Patria Medal, the Badge of Honour of the Title of Merit of the Republic of Poland - II degree.

He has more than 3,500 flight hours on military jet aircraft, of which more than 2,500 on F-16 aircraft. Maj. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak is a master class pilot and actively participates in flight training.

Matthew Savill MBE

Director of Military Sciences, RUSI

Matthew Savill is the Director of Military Sciences at RUSI, focussing on developments and trends in modern conflict, and the use of force in the 21st Century.

Before joining RUSI he spent over 20 years as a civil servant working on defence and security, predominantly in the Ministry of Defence. He joined the MOD in 2003, starting his career in Defence Intelligence as an Iraq analyst before moving to intelligence coordination and support to operations, and later roles in private office, approvals and scrutiny of major procurement projects, before a return to analysis and a secondment to the Cabinet Office. 

He has also specialised in strategy and policy, with roles in: Defence Strategy and Priorities, working on the Integrated Review; the MOD’s Operations Directorate, where he was responsible for operational policy for the Middle East and overseas counter-terrorism; the Cabinet Office National Security Secretariat, to cover intelligence oversight and then Middle East policy; the MOD team responsible for the deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group in 2021; and operations and crisis team responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. His final role in the MOD was responsibility for Special Operations policy, covering oversight of UK Special Forces and intelligence operations.

He attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy Shrivenham in 2010-11, and the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2020, and has a Masters in Defence Studies from King’s College London. He has had articles published in Defence Studies and on The Wavell Room website.

He has deployed on operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the Middle East for the military campaign against Daesh.

Matthew was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2008. 

Lieutenant-General J.R. Speiser-Blanchet CMM CD

Commander Royal Canadian Air Force

Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in 1994 with a degree in Computer Engineering.

Earning her pilot wings in March 1996, she served as a Rotary Wing Tactical Aviation pilot flying the CH146 Griffon helicopter at 1 Wing. Her operational and staff postings include 430e Escadron tactique d’hélicoptères (430 ETAH) in Valcartier, 1 Wing Headquarters in Kingston, 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters in Winnipeg, and 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron in Gagetown.

LGen Speiser-Blanchet served on multiple deployments as a helicopter pilot including United Nations and NATO missions in Haiti and Bosnia. She also served as Deputy Commander (Operations) for Joint Task Force-IMPACT in Kuwait in 2019. In Canada, she has deployed on numerous domestic operations in response to regional emergencies and in support of other government agencies.

LGen Speiser-Blanchet has commanded at multiple levels; 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron, the Canadian Forces Intelligence Group, and the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Group. Strategic level appointments include Military Assistant to the Minister of National Defence, Special Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

 A graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP) and the Defence and Strategic Studies Course (DSSC) in Australia, she holds a Masters degrees in Defence Studies from RMC and a Masters degree in Politics and Policy from Deakin University. LGen Speiser-Blanchet is a Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM). She was promoted to her current rank in July 2025 and appointed Commander of the RCAF on 10 July 2025.

Lt Gen. André "Jabba" Steur

Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force

Lieutenant General André ‘Jabba’ Steur is Commander Royal Netherlands Air Force. In this role he also serves as the senior Air & Spacepower advisor to the Dutch Chief of Defence.

General Steur was commissioned in 1992 as a graduate of the Royal Military Academy (KMA) in Breda, where he studied Business Administration. In 1994 Steur earned his wings and subsequently attended initial F-16 training in Tucson, Arizona. After returning to the Netherlands, he was assigned to 312 Squadron at Volkel Air Base. Between 1995 and 2003, Steur deployed multiple times to operations over Former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan. His flying career also includes an exchange assignment to Shaw Air Force Base, graduation from Weapons Instructor Course with honours as well as serving as squadron and base commander.

His previous staff tours include serving as staff officer in the F-16 replacement program, Head of Planning Integration, Director of Operations of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and finally in his previous position as he was appointed as the Director of Operational Policy and Plans within the Directorate of Policy of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. Within this newly established directorate, the foundation was laid for further development of the Netherlands armed forces.

Dr Jack Watling

Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare, RUSI

Dr Jack Watling is Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Institute. Jack works extensively with the British and allied militaries on force development and operational analysis. Jack has worked extensively in Ukraine during Russia’s invasion, in Iraq during the campaign to defeat Daesh, in Mali, Rwanda and further afield. He is the Co-author alongside Nick Reynolds of War by Others’ Means: Delivering Effective Partner Force Capacity Building (2021).

: https://rusi.org/people/jack-watling

Major General Jonas Wikman

Commander of the Swedish Air Force, Swedish Armed Forces

Major General Jonas Wikman was appointed Commander of the Swedish Air Force in December 2022.

Jonas Wikman is a 1993 graduate from the Air Force Flying Training School and  started his career as a light attack pilot and flight instructor before transitioning to J 35 Draken and later to the JAS 39 Gripen. During his career as a fighter pilot, General Wikman was engaged in the development of the

man-machine-interface for air crew and has extensive experience in the field of aviation medicine as an aviation physiologist and ultimately as Head of the Armed Forces Aeromedical Center.

Following his graduation from the advanced command course at the Swedish Defence University in 2009 Jonas Wikman served in the Plans and Finance Department of the Defence Staff. In 2012 he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Flight Test Center (Linköping). Two years thereafter, he entered the position as Chief of Plans in the Joint Force Generation Command.

In 2016 Jonas Wikman was appointed Senior Air Advisor to the NATO Resolute Support Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was later promoted to Brigadier General and appointed Chief of the Joint Materiel and Support Directorate and Assistant Chief of the Joint Force Generation Command.

In 2021 he was promoted to Major General and appointed Deputy Chief of Joint Operation were he served during the evacuation operation from Afghanistan and the events leading up to, and following, the Russian war against Ukraine. He held this position until he assumed his current command in December 2022.