• Introduction
• Program Committee
• Call for Papers
• Location
• Accommodation
• Registration
• Sponsors
• contact

 

Introduction

At the last NATO summit in Lisbon in November 2010, important decisions were made concerning Missile Defence:

• developing a capacity to ensure a global protection covering population and forces,
• expanding the NATO BMC3 from TMD to territorial Missile defence,
• building a plan to develop this capacity while taking  advantage of the national plans including the US EPAA and other national European contributions
• opening the Missile defence plan to cooperation with Russia as started for theater Missile Defence.

During the 3AF Missile Defence Conference in San Sebastian, we already had the very first analysis following the Lisbon summit decisions, while gathering all actors from NATO, US and Europe, plus Russian representatives. All these actors had a chance to give their views on the next step forward and remaining pending points. First, the United States reaffirmed their plan to deploy EPAA (first with USS Monterey already deployed in Mediterranean sea , then AN-TPY2, to be located in Turkey, while tests were conducted for the radar with Aegis SM3). Second, NATO has confirmed first operational capacity obtained with ALTBMD INCA and is preparing the ongoing work to look at the expansion of ALTBMD (first with BMC3, starting with ACCS TMD1 and Bi SC AIS). Third, other European nations confirmed their support to NATO plans, including the ALTBMD continuation and expansion to start with BMC3I. Fourth, concerning the cooperation with Russia, the ongoing talks show us that there are remaining issues to be solved. However the will to share views and cooperate was present among all participants at the last conference.

The 2012 3AF Missile Defence Conference is waiting for new challenges and decisions in Europe, and will take place in Paris, from 3rd to 6th July 2012, just after the NATO summit planned in spring. We can expect all the following issues to be addressed in the technical, systems, programs and policy panels:

• What is the situation of the US EPAA phase 1 deployment?
• What is the plan proposed by NATO to come to a pragmatic deployment of Missile Defence systems with a first territorial capacity, and when?
• What could be the other European nations’ proposal of their national assets, possibly through a joint European effort?
• What will be the progress made between NATO and Russia, Russia and the US, Europe and Russia to shape a cooperation plan? Do we have a real joint involvement?
• Which consequences can we expect in Europe for our industry to be involved?
• What is proposed by industries? Which new and innovation solutions are emerging?

The 3AF Conference will provide a timely opportunity for discussion in an opened forum which focuses uniquely on Europe. It offers a mix of technical and non-technical, contributed and invited papers, and descriptions of the many existing BMD programmes, including VIPs’ talks. Sponsored by industry, the conference includes an exhibition where companies will showcase their systems and technologies. It is an unrivalled opportunity to meet customers, suppliers and decision makers, to exchange facts and opinions, and to listen to papers presented by world experts in missile defence.

We look forward to meeting you in Paris in July 2012 and to your contribution to our dialogue on “Challenges in Europe”.

Yours Faithfully,

Yannick DEVOUASSOUX and Luc DINI

8th Internationa l Conference
on Missile Defence "Challenges in Europe "
Programme Committee Co-Chairmen