UDT Official Event Guide

WELCOME - CONFERENCE CHAIR
NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND
EMERGING CHALLENGES
Maintaining its focus
on the vital issues
challenging the
undersea sector, this
year’s UDT conference
covers a broad portfolio,
including underwater
warfare and the
contemporary threats
facing civilian subsea
infrastructure.
Last year’s introduction of
plenary sessions to provide
an overall context for the
conference themes was a great
success and we are repeating it
this year. Our overarching theme
is ‘Consolidating Progress: Flexible
Technologies and Innovative,
Cost-effective Solutions in the
Underwater Environment’ and I am
delighted to tell you that our panel
includes Vice Admiral Axel Schimpf,
Chief of Staff of the
German Navy;
Vice Admiral Andreas
Krause, Deputy
Commander of
NATO’s HQ Maritime
Command Naples;
Rear Admiral Morten
Jacobsen, Chief
of Procurement
Staff Norwegian
Defence Logistics Organisation;
and Commodore Richard Stokes,
Head of Deterrent and Underwater
Capability, Royal Navy.
The plenary sessions will be
followed by specialised sessions
featuring presentations from
leading experts drawn from
the international underwater
community. Our four conference
themes will focus on Future
Operational and Strategic Context;
Innovative Solutions; Flexible
Technologies; and Advanced
Research. To ensure delegates
obtain maximum benefit from
their attendance, each session is
organised by its field of speciality.
706
a highly influential
forum for everyone
with an interest in the
future of the dynamic
undersea sector
These are: Anti Submarine
Warfare; Mine Counter Measures;
Submarine Warfare; Maritime
Security; Platforms; Weapons;
Sensors; and C4I.
Days 2 and 3 will also begin with
plenary sessions, one of which
will examine what the future holds
for the world’s most inhospitable
environment. The topics under
review include new technologies,
contested areas, emerging
challenges and
opportunities for
the security of
the underwater
domain, with
contributions from
senior NATO
representatives,
top civil servants
and industry chiefs.
The final plenary will address
the important issue of crossover
technologies, with industry and
private sector panelists discussing
how an arena which was once
dominated by submarine and mine
warfare is now of fundamental
importance to key commercial
sectors, such as communications
and energy.
The UDT 2013 conference has
been designed to uphold the proud
tradition of 26 years of providing
a highly influential forum for
everyone with an interest in the
future of the dynamic undersea
sector. I very much hope that you
find your participation interesting
and rewarding.
Captain Raimund Wallner, German Navy (ret’d)
Chairman of the UDT Conference
““