DSEI 2017: Conference presents rich mix of topics

24th August 2017

DSEI

Mick Elliott

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The Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition also hosts a top level conference which gets under way on Monday September 11. Four strands cover Air Capability, Maritime Capability, Land Capability and the Future of Military Rotocraft will open proceedings. In his opening address to the Air Capability Conference, the Royal Air Force’s Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Mike Wigston, will explore the challenges facing senior officers who are responsible for implementing strategy at the higher levels of Defence.

Drawing on the evidence of previous Defence reviews, he will demonstrate why military planners charged with capability development and procurement need to ensure that equipment programmes provide sufficient scope for capability enhancements and adaptation to meet foreseen and unforeseen challenges.

He will use the example of the F-35’s built-in growth capacity to show how it will maintain its combat edge for decades to come, whilst also focusing on how the implementation of the RAF’s recently produced strategy will maintain the Service’s decisive edge across the full spectrum of air, space and cyber operations for years to come.

Other speakers will discuss Affordable Air Power, A Multinational approach to Fifth Generation Interoperability and Partnership, Logistics and Supply Lines.

Dr Rob Buckingham , Director UK Atomic Energy Authority will give the Opening Address to the Land Capability conference addressing Why Robotics and Autonomy Present Great Opportunity, but also Disruptive Risk. This session will include a Q&A.

The Opening Address to the Maritime Capability conference will see Rear Admiral Simon Williams at the podium discussing The Defence Contribution to National Prosperity.

Applying Shipbuilding Lessons from the Past and the Future will be a topic in this strand alongside a paper titled Laying Foundations for the Future

The Future of Military Rotocraft will be discussed by Andrew Drwiega, Director DefenceWorx.

Other presentations will look at The Development of the ITEP Engine and a panel discussion covering Live, Virtual and Constructive Helicopter Training.

The DSEI Seminar Programme opens on Tuesday September 12.

Tuesday speakers include Admiral Sir Philip Jones, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade, Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive, European Defence Agency, and General Sir Chris Deverell , ADC Gen, Commander, Joint Forces Command.

Wednesday’s headline speaker isMichael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence. He will be followed byAir Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, Chief of the Air Staff and General Sir Nick Carter ADC Gen, Chief of the General Staff

Lieutenant-General Frank LeidenbergerCommander DEU Elements Multinational Corps / Basic Army Organisation from the German Army is a keynote speaker on Thursday andLieutenant General Richard Nugee Chief of Defence People will address Friday’s audiences.

Mark Shanley, Global Business Manager at Astute Electronics will present a seminar on Counterfeit Electronics Mitigation and Detection for Defence Primes at 14.30 on Wednesday 13 September, in the DSEI Global Theatre.

He will discuss how best practices and quality standards which have been developed to prevent counterfeits entering the supply chain have evolved to keep up with the growing demands of global production and sourcing and managing obsolescence, as well as describing the value of expert partners and authorised distribution.

"The rising danger of counterfeit components is a real and very serious problem, especially against the prevailing market conditions where supply chains are compromised and challenged,” said Shanley. “As part of the Ministry of Defence’s Counterfeit Avoidance Working Group (CAWG), we can share what best practice looks like.