Defence Futures and Force Design
| Abbreviation | F&DD |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1998 |
| Type | Think tank |
| Location | |
Director | Air Vice-Marshal John Monahan |
| Website | Official website |
The Defence Futures and Force Design (F&FD), formerly Defence Futures and formerly Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC) is the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence's (MOD's) think tank.
History
[edit]The DCDC, originally called the Joint Doctrine and Concepts Centre (JDCC), was established as a result of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. The UK recognised that it needed to have a clearer long-term vision of the way in which it expected it forces and their methods of operation to develop.[1]
Programme SOLARIUM – Strategic Command’s transformation programme – launched the new Integration Design Authority (IDA) on 1 July 2024. Due to this transformation the DCDC has evolved into a new organisation – Defence Futures, part of the IDA.[2] By 1 July 2024, "following Defence Reform, Defence Futures has been restructured and now operates as Defence Futures and Force Design."[3]
Structure
[edit]The F&FD is headed by a two-star officer, located at Shrivenham and is under the UK's Strategic Command but reports to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) who sets its priorities and outputs.[4]
Outputs
[edit]F&FD produces many publications relating to the future global environment. It also has a Doctrine Team responsible for writing and maintaining a range of joint operational level UK and NATO doctrine publications, and Strategy, Analysis and Research and Legal Teams such as the Global Strategic Trends Programme.[5]
Directors
[edit]The list of Directors of the JDCC, DCDC and F&FD have been:[6]
Director JDCC
- Major-General Anthony Milton 1999-2002
- Air Vice-Marshal Iain McNicoll 2002-2005
- Rear Admiral Christopher Parr 2005-2008 (JDCC became DCDC around 2006)
Director DCDC
- Major-General Paul Newton 2008-2010
- Air Vice-Marshal M. Paul Colley 2010-2012
- Major-General Andrew Sharpe 2012-2013
- Rear Admiral Paul Bennett 2013-2013
- Rear Admiral John Kingwell 2013-2016
- Major General Gerald I. Mitchell 2016-2020
- Major-General Darrell Amison 2020–2022.[7][8]
- Air Vice-Marshal John Monahan 2022–2024[9]
- Air Vice-Marshal Mark K. Ridgway 2024–present[10]
Director F&FD
- Air Vice-Marshal Mark K. Ridgway 2024–present<ref>"No. 64552". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 October 2024. p. 21544.</ref
References
[edit]- ^ "The background to the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre". British Ministry of Defence. 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 5 February 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre". gov.uk. UK Ministry of Defence. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
Following the launch of Strategic Command's Integration Design Authority on 1 July 2024, the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC) has evolved into a new organisation – Defence Futures.
- ^ "Defence Futures". London: gov.uk. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
- ^ "Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre: the MOD's independent think tank" (PDF). British Ministry of Defence. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre". British Ministry of Defence. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ Mackie, Colin (15 December 2019). "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND TRI-SERVICE APPOINTMENTS" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "Current generals" (PDF). Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ "No. 62985". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 April 2020. p. 8110.
- ^ "No. 63875". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 November 2022. p. 21746.
- ^ "No. 64552". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 October 2024. p. 21544.
External links
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