Defence Futures and Force Design

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]

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]

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]

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^[11]