The Directed Energy Systems (DES) conference is the world's premier international forum for all elements of the DES community, including senior serving officers, technical experts and industry leaders.
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The theme for DES 2018 is "Transitioning to The Warfighter". While technical and scientific elements will be covered the focus will be on the future of militarily useful DE and the next steps required for these systems to earn their way onto platforms and into operations.
We are undoubtedly at a time where Directed Energy Systems are moving on to platforms across the tri-service. Technological progress is helping to meet SWaP-C challenges and the spectrum of threats-faced now includes UAVs and smaller targets which require, and provide operational rationale, for lower powered systems. At the same time missile defence requires the future operationalisation of high-powered systems. The race is on to field systems now, get this technology into the hands of the Warfighter, gain feedback on how the systems can be used and take an iterative approach to refine and design future systems. This information, and the capability gaps identified, can then be used by research institutions to secure targeted funding for programs which promise to close the capability gaps identified by the warfighter.
DES 2018 will contribute to the dialogue and expose capability planners, future operators and researchers to case-studies, developments in other nations, and help militaries share TTPS and Operational Concepts for this new capability. No more promises, DE is moving into operations!
Key themes this year will include:
- Transitioning to the warfighter: earning a place onto platforms and into operations. What role do armed services see for directed energy, what technologies need to be refined, and what is the roadmap for adoption?
- Defining and sharing concepts of operations and TTPs behind the use of Directed Energy Systems. What are the SWaP-C considerations and how can the value proposition of these systems be communicated to strategic leaders?
- Understanding the threats faced and which problem sets most readily can be addressed by DES and which problem sets require more R&D in order to develop effective DES solutions?
- Learning from case-studies to address training challenges for High-Powered lasers and understanding safety and deconfliction considerations to deploy laser systems on the battlefield
- How Microwaves continue to have application as non-lethal weapon systems, but also as effective UAS-killers - how and why they may become the energy system of choice versus the laser
Join us in London at the end of October to take part in this well-known international event. You will have the opportunity to gain both strategic and technical insight from military leaders, research scientists and industry experts, including roadmaps, goals, and the art of the possible. This will allow you to define future operational concepts, understand militarily useful applications of the latest technologies and help deliver the latest technology to the warfighter.
"Excellent Summit as it brings together experts from around the world. The planning and management of your events & conferences is always top-notch and excellent."
Principal Research Scientist, Georgia Institute of Technology
"Being new to DEW it was quite valuable"
Senior engineer, Saab Dynamics AB
"I got a good picture of where the laser weapon field is at the moment"
System Engineer, FMV
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2018 Speakers
- Lt. Gen. (USAF ret.) Henry A. "Trey" Obering III, Executive Vice President, Directed Energy, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Colonel Sean Wilson, Officer in Charge, Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), US Army Europe
- Matthew Speakman, Assistance Head for Novel Weapons, Weapons Evaluation and Capability Assurance, Finance & Military Capability Group, UK MoD
- Dr. Youngchul Kim, Ph.D., Researcher, Laser Weapon Systems, South Korea Agency for Defense Development
- Dr. Gary Wood, Ph.D., Chief, Electro-Optics ad Photonics Division, U.S. Army Research Laboratory
- Colonel Michael E. Thompson, Chief, Advanced Weapons Systems (A5/8ZW), HQ Air Combat Command USAF
- Dr. Michael Jirjis, Ph.D., Directed Energy Experimentation Lead, AF Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation, Air Foce Research Laboratory (AFRL)
- Dr. Sjef Orbons, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Police Academy of The Netherlands
- Prof. Lars Nilsson, Head of High Power Fibre Lasers, Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton
- Dr. Dave Giri, Ph.D., Owner, Protech & Life Fellow, IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
- Dr. Rudiger Schmitt, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Laser Technology, French-German Research Institute of Saint Louis (ISL)
- Dr. Michael Cathcart, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta
- Dr. Nathan Lockwood, Ph.D., Directed Energy International Programs, AFRL/RD, Air Force Materiel Command
- Keith A. Rigby CEng FIET, Principal Technologist - Weapons Integration, Future Combat Air Systems, BAE Systems
- Prof. Nick Colosimo, Ph.D., Strategy Executive, Global Engineering Fellow, Principal Technologist (Disruptive Technologies), BAE Systems
- R. Adm. (ret.) Massimo Annati, Chairman, European Working Group Non-Lethal Weapons
- Maj. Gen. (ret.) Marius-Eugen Opran, Associate Professor, Romanian Space Agency
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