Wing Commander Dave Black

Wing Commander Dave Black currently heads the Skynet 6 Enduring Capability programme, which is specifying and procuring the UK MOD’s next generation of Narrowband and Wideband military communications satellites.  This includes a UHF free-flyer and a constellation of X and Mil-Ka Band satellites.  His role also includes management of strategic risks to MOD SATCOM availability, orchestrating Space Wargaming activities to support Operational Analysis of future capability options, and technology development focussed on MILSATCOM to de-risk future requirements.

Previously, Dave was head of the Skynet Theatre Delivery Team, leading the MOD’s interface with Airbus Defence and Space to deliver assured MILSATCOM services from Skynet to the UK MOD’s Front-Line Commands, UK Government entities and Allied Partners deployed around the World.  This role also included overseeing a plethora of connections into commercial SATCOM systems to deliver the full range of services required by end-users, and also delivery of the MOD’s International fibre network to deployed locations.  During this time Dave led the UK’s participation in a number of US GLOBAL THUNDER exercises and participated in several Schriever Wargames, as well as evolving the MODs understanding of Space Weather effects and other environmental hazards to operating SATCOM services.

In other recent roles he assisted in the formation of the MOD’s Space Command and Space Directorate, was the lead in UK STRATCOM Jt User for Space and SATCOM matters and ran the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) J6 desk for the delivery of communications to Rest of the World (ROW) and Counter-Terrorism Overseas (CTO) Operations.  Other posts have included OC Engineering for the RAF’s deployable communications organization – 90 Signals Unit, ICT delivery roles at Defence Digital, Commanding Officer of NATO Satellite Ground Station F4 Oakhanger and other deployable communications roles in the RAF.  Somehow, in amongst those jobs, he also ended up being in charge of the RAF’s professional firefighters deployed to Northern Ireland during national fire brigade strikes!

He has been a professional Communications and Electronics Engineer in the RAF for 25 years since graduating from the Manchester Metropolitan University with a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a Postgraduate Diploma in Opto-Electronic Systems.  His other interests include playing Rugby (flanker), skiing (fast), motorbikes (Honda, Harley, Suzuki) and photography (Nikon D300).