Speakers

Air Vice-Marshal Simon Strasdin joined the RAF in March 1992 as a Navigator. He has flown over 3700 hours and completed multiple flying tours, operating the Tornado GR1 / GR4 and the F15-E Strike Eagle. As a Qualified Weapons Instructor he has completed 13 operational tours of duty throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan. Staff assignments have included: Equipment Capability (Air to Surface Weapons procurement strategy and delivery); MOD Joint Capability; Defence Reform (2011 - Lord Levine Review); Assistant to Chief of Defence Staff’s Liaison Officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Pentagon); Military Aviation Authority Oversight and Assurance; Programme Director for the Lossiemouth Development Programme (circa £0.5Bn infrastructure investment to deliver P-8 Poseidon and Typhoon growth); and Warfare Development (enabling the adaptation of the Current Force to succeed on contemporary and future operations).

Simon completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2010, gaining an MA in Defence Studies, and Higher Command and Staff Course in 2022. In 2018 he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his work in Aviation Safety and in 2022 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) following a period of deployed operations in the Middle East. Simon has completed command appointments at the squadron, Expeditionary Air Wing, Expeditionary Air Group and Force levels.

Simon fulfilled the Director Strategy role within Strategic Command for 6-months as an Acting 2*, leading Project SOLARIUM (Command wide transformation programme); Strategic Plans, including Defence Review input; international liaison; and the Defence Targeting Enterprise. The significant achievement during his tenure was the establishment of the Integration Design Authority, bringing together the Defence Academy, Concepts, Capability and Warfare Development under a newly developed operating model.