The Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power Studies (RAF CAPS) is a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

sponsored

think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-govern ...

which engages in the study of

air power Airpower or air power consists of the application of military aviation, military strategy and strategic theory to the realm of aerial warfare and close air support. Airpower began in the advent of powered flight early in the 20th century. Airp ...

. The centre was launched on 23 August 2007 by

Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admi ...

Sir Glenn Torpy, Chief of the Air Staff.Ministry of Defence , Defence News , Defence Policy and Business , RAF Chief unveils the latest weapon in the RAF's inventory
/ref> Based at the

Royal Air Force College The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and ...

, this think tank and research centre claims to bring together

academia An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

with serving members of the RAF to analyse how air power has been used in the past and how best it might be used in a modern, complex world of increasing ambiguity. It aspires to act as the RAF’s centre for

strategic Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art ...

and conceptual thinking about air power, to "encourage and promote the study of air power, particularly within the Service and academia, but also throughout the broader intellectual community (including the media and think-tanks)". The centre hosts a website, runs major conferences, offers fellowships and, since 2008, publishes a journal called ''Air Power Review''. Its board is headed by the Air Officer Commanding No. 22 (Training) Group. Its staff consists of key members of the Royal Air Force, the Air Historical Branch (RAF), and academics from

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

's Air Power Studies Division. In 2009 the RAF CAPS worked with a King's College team of air power experts under the direction of Dr Joel Hayward to develop the UK's first specialised

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in air power studies. The Chief of the Air Staff's Air Power Workshop, sometimes known merely as the CAS Workshop, is a small working group of senior scholars and other theorists convened by the Chief of Air Staff, the professional head of the

. Run by the successive Directors of Defence Studies (RAF), the Workshop develops and debates cutting-edge ideas on

and sporadically produces books containing the findings.

Notes

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External links

Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power Studies
official website. British defence policymaking Education in Lincolnshire Foreign policy and strategy think tanks based in the United Kingdom Military education and training in the United Kingdom North Kesteven District Organisations based in Lincolnshire Royal Air Force