NATS governance structure
How the National Aerospace Technology Strategy is directed, funded and held to account.
Why the strategy needs clear governance
The National Aerospace Technology Strategy (NATS) sets out priorities for research, development and demonstration across the UK aerospace sector. Its governance exists to keep those priorities coherent over several years, so that investment decisions, programme changes and public reporting follow one set of rules.
Governance is not a separate workstream. It shapes which themes receive funding, how partners are selected, and how results are turned into guidance that industry and government can use.
Who sets direction and who delivers
The strategy is overseen by a steering board that agrees the overall research balance and the criteria used to judge new proposals. The board does not manage individual projects.
- Steering board: sets priorities and approves annual plans
- Theme leads: own the technical roadmap for each research theme
- Programme managers: track milestones, budgets and risks
- Independent reviewers: test progress against agreed criteria
How a funding decision moves through the system
Stage 1
Call for proposals
A theme lead publishes the scope, eligibility rules and assessment criteria for the call.
Stage 2
Independent assessment
Reviewers score each proposal on technical merit, delivery capability and contribution to the strategy.
Stage 3
Steering board approval
The board reviews the ranked list and confirms the portfolio within the annual budget.
Stage 4
Milestone review
Programme managers report progress at fixed points, and funding is released against verified outputs.
Accountability and reporting
Each theme publishes an annual account of spending, milestones met and milestones revised. Revisions are explained in plain language, with the reason for the change and its effect on the wider roadmap.
Conflicts of interest are declared before any assessment begins. Members who hold a stake in a proposal step aside from its scoring and from the related board decision.
Where the structure is documented
Terms of reference, the decision log and the annual reporting calendar are held with the strategy documents. For the programme structure in detail, see the research themes and programmes page, or return to the homepage.