BCMH Close Air Support Conference

10 March - 11 March 2023

Hosted at the Royal Air Force Museum London, and organised by the British Commission for Military History (BCMH) this two-day conference on Close Air Support will explore topics from the introduction of the aircraft to the battlefield, through to close air support in contemporary conflicts. The Conference will feature a keynote address given by Seb Cox, head of the Air Historical Branch, on ‘Enabling Close Air Support’.

The cost of attending the conference is £60.00 for BCMH members. RAF Museum members are also able to access the event for £60.00. The event is also open to those without membership for the price of £75.00. This cost covers registrations, refreshments and lunch for both days. Tickets are available now.

The Conference will present research which established how close air support has become an essential role of air power and a critical feature of modern warfare. The research presented will examine the evolution of close air support doctrine, concepts and capabilities and discuss the effect of close air support on the modern battlefield. The history of close air support will be considered from its early inception, which rapidly followed the introduction of the aircraft to the battlefield, through to close air support in contemporary conflicts.

The conference will also feature research which assesses the enduring importance of close air support in the Russia-Ukraine War and the two-way relationship of manned and unmanned aircraft towards multi-domain integration in future operations. Other papers will consider ‘the Development of Ground Attack Aviation in the United States, 1919-1927’; ‘Field Marshal Montgomery and Joint Air/Land Operational Art’; and ‘RAF Tornado Close Air Support in Afghanistan: Lessons And Legacies’.

Along with separate panels on close air support in the First World War, the Second World War, and in contemporary conflict, the Conference will also include panels examining developments undertaken to facilitate, and the challenges of meeting demands to provide, close air support.

The Keynote address, on ‘Enabling Close Air Support’, will be given by Seb Cox, Head of the Air Historical Branch (RAF). Seb has written widely on the history of the RAF and air power, and has lectured on air power and related topics to military and civilian audiences on four continents, including Military Colleges in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Norway and Kuwait.

TICKETS

The cost of attending the conference for both days is £60.00 for BCMH members, and RAF Museum members. The event is also open to those without membership for the price of £75.00. This cost covers registrations, refreshments and lunch for both days. Booking is quick and easy:

Location

The conference will take place at the RAF Museum, London, on Friday-Saturday 10-11 March 2023. Registration will open from 10.00am on 10 March.

Programme

A full programme will be released shortly.