The 2011 EuMW Defence and Security Forum

The defence and security sector is evolving to reflect the economic and threat realities of the early 21st century. Pressures on public spending and funding are having a significant impact and while the ability to defend sovereignty, resolve regional conflicts and fight global terrorism need to be addressed, new issues have emerged. These include border control and security, such as the detection of weapons and explosives, methods to control cross-border trafficking and anti-piracy measures.

The 2011 EuMW Defence and Security Forum aims to put these issues into context from the perspective of those researching and developing the latest technology, defence/security contractors and government defence agencies and open them up for analysis and debate.

There is a full-day programme this year, expanding on the success of the inaugural EuMW 2010 Defence/Security Executive Forum evening session in Paris that attracted more than 200 attendees last year. The format comprises a Morning Session, Lunch & Learn, an Afternoon Session and the evening Executive Forum.

Morning Session

The day will begin by focusing on Safety and Security and consider the application of the microwave technology that is being developed to increase security and address safety issues. World recognized experts will give tutorials and presentations on active and passive RF detection and imaging techniques applied to short range stand-off surveillance and through-wall and buried sensing.

Lunch & Learn

Over lunch, Strategy Analytics will provide market analysis of the defence and security sector and look at: The impact of budget constraints on future defence technology investment. Their experts predict the desire for technology differentiation will lead to continued opportunities for electronic systems in emerging platforms and this will be supplemented by a focus on upgrading existing capabilities.

Afternoon Session

After lunch, the session will consider – Radar (and EW) Challenges for the 21st Century: An Industry Perspective – which will focus on the application of microwave technology to provide security and counteract threats. A keynote will set the scene and consider technology convergence, then industry experts will outline the development of the technology required to meet current and future challenges. The approach of industry to such challenges will be the focus of a panel session that will feature experts from Agilent Technologies, NXP Semiconductors, RFMD and and TriQuint Semiconductor.

Executive Forum

In the early evening, the Executive Forum, like in 2010, will offer delegates the opportunity to benefit from the expertise and experience of representatives from government defence agencies and leading defence/security contractors who will provide insights into how their organizations view future threats to global safety, security and defence and the role of technology in addressing these risks. It will conclude with an open panel discussion with questions from the floor. The Executive Forum will keep its established early evening time slot and be preceded and complemented by morning and afternoon sessions.

Figure 1 shows the speakers and panel members of the 2010 EuMW Defence/Security Executive Forum: Back row from left - Dr. Barry M. Alexia, Director Strategy Technology; Rockwell Collins, Frank van den Bogaart, Director Research TNO Defence, Security and Safety and Forum Moderator; Asif Anwar, Program Director for Strategy Analytics; Hans Brugger, Vice President CASSIDIAN; and Pierre Fossier, VP and Technical Director, Thales. Front row from left - Attila Simon, R&T Project Manager, European Defence Agency (EDA); Dr. Massimo Piva, Senior Vice President of Large Systems Business Unit, Selex Sistemi Integrati; Francois Murgadella, Direction Generale pour L'Armement (DGA) & Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR); and Major General Roger Renard, NATO RTA Deputy Director.

Attendance is FREE and open to all EuMW 2011 conference delegates, exhibitors and visitors as a selected option of the normal registration process. However, those wishing to attend the 2011 EuMW Defence and Security Forum are asked to register specifically for the Forum and can do so online at: www.mwjournal.com/2011defenceforum or www.eumweek.com.