DR PETER SPAYNE
CURRICULUM
VITAE
Dr Peter John Spayne, MSc BEng(Hons) CEng MIET. A Chartered Engineer with over a decade of academic expertise developed in parallel to a 21-year Royal Navy career at the forefront of defence innovation. A former Warrant Officer Weapon Engineer with global operational experience, and the architect of the Safe to Operate Itself Safely assurance framework.
EDUCATION
PhD, Defence & Security, Cranfield Centre for Defence Engineering, 2022-2026 (viva passed July 2026). MSc Professional Engineering (Distinction), Staffordshire, 2018-2021. BEng(Hons) Engineering Management (First), Staffordshire, 2015-2018. FDEng Electrical Engineering (Distinction), Portsmouth (HMS Collingwood), 2013-2014.
ACCREDITATIONS & AFFILIATIONS
Chartered Engineer (IET), 2021. Incorporated Engineer (IET), 2018. Associate Fellow, First Sea Lord's Fellowship. Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Engineers. Adviser, Parliamentary Science & Technology Committee.
ROYAL NAVY, 2004-2025
Warrant Officer Weapon Engineer (2023): senior engineer developing autonomous mine warfare capability, overseeing the engineering departments of seven mine disposal units globally. Chief Petty Officer (2018): In-Service Manager, Mine Countermeasure Equipment (DE&S); Head of Engineering, Hunt-class vessels. Earlier service from Engineering Technician (2004) across multiple ship classes, including attachment to the Royal Marines in Afghanistan.
AWARDS
Chief Scientific Adviser's Award, for redesigning combat management systems on Sandown-class vessels prior to transfer to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. IMechE Patron's Prize, INEC24. IET Admiral Bateson Award, for field engineering in the Straits of Hormuz (2020).
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Spayne et al. (2024), Operating Itself Safely, Defence Studies. Spayne et al. (2024), Autonomy is the Answer, What Was the Question?, IMechE INEC24. Spayne (2023), What Does Trust Mean..., RUSI Defence Systems. Spayne (2023), written evidence on AI in weapons, House of Lords. Spayne (2025), The AI Problem is Culture not Technology, Science in Parliament. Full list on the Research page.
A downloadable copy of the full CV is available via the button above.
