Securing the Skies: How Aerospace Power Is Transforming Global Security

Air Vice Marshal Nasser Wyne (Retd) served nearly four decades in the Pakistan Air Force, holding senior command, staff, and instructional appointments, including leadership of fighter squadrons, operational wings, and major air bases. He also represented Pakistan internationally as an instructor with the Sri Lanka Air Force and as Air Attaché in Beijing.

A graduate of the PAF Air War College, National Defence University, and Harvard University, he holds master’s degrees in War Studies and Strategic Studies. He is currently the Director of Aerospace Warfare at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) in Islamabad, where he leads research and policy initiatives on aerospace power, emerging technologies, and national security. An active voice in strategic discourse, he writes extensively, delivers lectures, and appears frequently in the media, offering expert insights on air warfare, technology trends, and the growing impact of non-traditional security challenges.

This interview has been authorised for publication by Air Vice Marshal Nasser Wyne (Retd).

We thank you, Air Vice Marshal Nasser Wyne (Retd) for accepting our interview with the Saint Pierre International Security Center.

SPCIS: How do you see aerospace power shaping the future of global security architectures?

 

Nasser Wyne: In my view, aerospace power has already reshaped global security and will continue to define its future. It is no longer a supporting arm of national defence; it has become a central pillar of deterrence and strategic reach. Space-based intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and persistent global observation have transformed how states perceive threats, project power and manage crises.

Aerospace capabilities also strengthen economic and environmental security. They allow nations not only to track adversaries but to anticipate climate risks, protect critical infrastructure, and respond to disasters, blurring the lines between traditional and non-traditional security. Integrating space assets into decision-making loops gives leaders speed, precision, and resilience, enabling credible deterrence at global ranges.

This predictive power makes the aggression riskier, thus reinforcing the stability. Economic structures are also being reshaped by the aerospace power through satellite communications and space commerce. So, one can say that the aerospace power has become a preventive foundation of security, influencing alliances, redefining deterrence strategies and the governance frameworks in the coming decades.

SPCIS: What role does emerging technology play in strengthening aerospace security capabilities?

Nasser Wyne: The combination of emerging technologies and Space capabilities is transforming aerospace security from incremental improvement to disruptive change.

Artificial intelligence (AI) enables rapid threat analysis and autonomous operations, resulting in faster and more reliable decision-making, minimising human error and shedding load. Hypersonics and advanced propulsion introduce unprecedented speed and manoeuvrability, compressing reaction times and challenging detection networks.

Cost-effective solutions to defend against drones and missiles are possible through directed energy weapons, using lasers and microwave technologies. Secure communications, precise navigation, and denying jamming or cyber intrusion are possible by quantum technologies, thus protecting satellite constellations and ground networks.

The space capability is becoming accessible to developing nations with economic constraints through the commercialisation of space and private launches. In a nutshell, the affordable emerging technologies and space cooperation (indigenous or with alliances) are bringing stability, changing the dynamics of deterrence. Though there are associated challenges as well, the states need to redefine their doctrines, build redundancies and above all stay abreast with the advancements.

SPCIS: How can states balance technological advancement with ethical considerations in aerospace development?

Nasser Wyne: Appropriate regulations and their implementation strategy, along with ethical safeguards, are a must for long-term stability. To remain abreast with Aerospace innovations and their effective utilisation, continuous upgradation and monitoring of international norms are mandatory. With space commercialisation and enhanced activities, the Outer Space Treaty and other codes of conduct related to space need to be reviewed, especially when autonomous systems and ASAT weapons have become a reality. Due consideration is required towards the orbital debris and should be dovetailed in the revised treaties. Even as artificial intelligence and autonomy expand operational possibilities, lethal or escalation-related decisions must remain under accountable human control.

As many aerospace technologies are dual-use, export controls and rigorous oversight are needed to prevent civilian breakthroughs from triggering destabilising arms races. Risk assessment can be done by an oversight board which has a proportionate representation of experts from different states, which could be a step in the right direction to oversee ethical issues. By combining technological ambition with these safeguards, states can advance aerospace capabilities without undermining global security or the long-term viability of space itself.

SPCIS: How do non-traditional security challenges affect aerospace strategies?  

Nasser Wyne: The challenges posed by non-traditional security are far more risky than traditional military threats, necessitating the adoption of well-calibrated aerospace strategies. Climate change is already the number one threat which drives extreme weather, wildfires and floods - thus demands satellite-based solutions like early warning and disaster management. Aerospace assets could be deployed to sustain supply chains during humanitarian crises and pandemics, enabling swift medical logistics. Aerospace programs can act as shock absorbers to economic and political coercion. Knowing in advance and taking appropriate measures against cyber incursions to critical infrastructures, such as railways, airport infrastructure, electricity grids, and command and control centres, can save loss of exchequer and human resources.

These pressures compel aerospace strategists to integrate environmental intelligence, cyber resilience, and cooperative governance into their doctrines, ensuring that capabilities remain credible and sustainable in a world where non-traditional dangers can undermine security faster than conventional conflict.

SPCIS: What opportunities exist for international cooperation in aerospace security and risk reduction?  

Nasser Wyne: No state can guarantee its own security in isolation; that is why aerospace can easily be placed in the global commons, as it is a natural arena for international cooperation. It is therefore necessary to immediately strengthen the norms and treaties that should enable responsible satellite operations, addressing challenges related to debris mitigation, anti-satellite testing, and spectrum allocation. Consensus by all space-faring nations is a must for such regulations in order to prevent accidents and reduce mistrust in an increasingly congested orbital environment.

Equally important is the sharing of space-situational awareness: pooling tracking data, collision alerts, and orbital forecasts allows all actors to avoid accidents and misinterpretations that could escalate into conflict. Crisis-management tools such as “space hotlines” and incident-notification protocols would further reduce the danger of inadvertent escalation. Cooperative earth-observation missions and disaster-response constellations show how joint projects can deliver mutual security and economic gains. Public-private partnerships and cross-national technology ventures can set cybersecurity standards and lower costs, while capacity-building programs—training, scholarships, and transparent technology transfer—enable developing nations to participate without fuelling rivalry. Together, these mechanisms create a layered framework of trust, verification, and shared benefit that sustains economic opportunity and keeps the aerospace domain stable and secure for all.