The Defence IQ advisory board consists of key thinkers and thought leaders in the Defence space.
These seasoned industry experts guide the topics on the Defence IQ site
in addition to frequently contributing content and media. These industry leaders were selected due to the
caliber of their work within their respective areas of expertise.
About our Advisors
Robert Densmore
Robert Densmore was awarded a bachelor of arts in political science from Amherst College, Massachusetts in 2000. That same year he joined the officer ranks of the US Navy. He subsequently qualified as a Naval Flight Officer and went on to Fleet Replacement Squadron VAQ-129 where he qualified as an Electronic Countermeasures Officer in the EA-6B Prowler. Following completion of training, he was assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-134, a Prowler Expeditionary Squadron. During this time, Mr Densmore participated in multiple air exercises and large scale airborne training evolutions including Red Flag Exercises at Nellis Air Force Base. In 2004, he deployed with VAQ-134 to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and participated in Task Force Iron. Operational duties included EA support roles and Counter-RCIED strikes. In addition, his Prowler crews performed alert tasking in theatre, supporting special warfare forces on the ground. Collateral duties included assistant operations designations.
The EA-6B Prowler remains the only operational Electronic Attack Aircraft in the US inventory. It counters the enemy by degrading, disrupting and destroying ground and air based weapons and communications networks in order to provide sanctuary to US and allied strike aircraft and ground forces whilst simeltaneously neutralising enemy forces. Many of the Prowler's roles and capabilities remain classified.
Following his naval career, Mr Densmore became a freelance foreign journalist and, in 2006, he returned to Afghanistan to cover civilian and military issues. There he participated in combat operations as an embedded journalist, deploying with both British and American forces, to include the 10th Mountain and 82nd Airborne Divisions. In 2007, he completed a series of published interviews with Taliban commanders in the borderlands near Kandahar.
In 2008, Mr Densmore was awarded an MSc from King's College London in War and Psychiatry and is currently completing research on mental health issues among private security contractors in Afghanistan. He now serves as Editor for Defence IQ.
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Chris Granville-White
Chris was a pilot in the Royal Air Force, with an operational background flying single-seat aircraft in the attack and recce roles. He flew Hunters in the Middle East for 2 years 1963-65 operating from Aden, Bahrain and Sharjah. He later flew Hunters in Germany, and Harriers as an off-base site commander in Germany. Following conversion to the Jaguar, he was a squadron commander in the UK and on regular detachments to North Norway. He also spent 3 years as a flying instructor at the RAF College Cranwell.
Following his time on operational flying, he worked for 11 years in the Operational Requirements branch in MoD, where he was responsible for the Harrier GR5/7, Jaguar Fly-by-Wire, Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP), and Eurofighter Typhoon. In the early days of Eurofighter Typhoon, he negotiated the operational requirement with the air staffs of the partner air forces, and for 8 years was on the 4-Nation Board of Directors.
Chris is a graduate of the RAF's Air Warfare Course, and the Royal Navy Staff College at Greenwich. His individual project papers won the course prize on both courses.
In his spare time he is a Yachtmaster Ocean sail-training skipper, instructor and examiner with the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, and the RAF Sailing Association. He was appointed CBE in 1996.
Since finishing his time in the Royal Air Force, Chris has worked in various roles in the defence industry — and also chairs several of the annual IQPC conferences.
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Ian Edward Shields OBE
Ian Shields joined the RAF in 1977 and, after training as a navigator, commenced his operational flying career on the Vulcan in 1981. After the Vulcan’s retirement he transferred to the Hercules and began a long association with tactical air transport. Following a series of ground and staff appointments, as well as flying tours that encompassed flying training, air refuelling, strategic and tactical air transport, aeromedical evacuation and famine relief, he was promoted to wing commander in 1997. He undertook Advanced Command and Staff training at the Joint Services Command and Staff College Bracknell in 1999/2000 where he gained an MA in Defence Studies from Kings’ College, London.
Command of No 47 Squadron followed, during which time he was the deputy commander of the team that re-opened Kabul airport. For this and his command of No 47 Squadron he was appointed OBE in 2003. After a tour at the Ministry of Defence, he was seconded to the Senior British Military Advisor’s staff at the US’ HQ CENTCOM from February to August 2005 following which he gained an MPhil in International Relations from Queens’ College, Cambridge. He taught on the Advanced Command and Staff Course at Shrivenham 2006/7 and on promotion to group captain in August 2007 assumed his final position as Assistant Director, Air and Space, at the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre. He retired from the RAF in 2010 to undertake a PhD at Cambridge University in International Relations.
Mr Shields has written widely on the employment of air and space power with several articles and book reviews published in the RAF’s peer-reviewed Journal, Air Power Review. He has presented to, and been published by, the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, and has spoken at a number of conferences in London and at Cambridge University on issues such as the employment of Air and Space and the future nature of conflict.
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