24 - 26 February 2026 I Novotel London West, London, United Kingdom
DAY TWO | WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2026
7:30 - 8:45
REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
8:45 - 8:50
CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS
Major General (Rtd) James Illingworth OBE -
Former Director Land Warfare & Former Deputy Commander Joint Helicopter Command,
IMH Conference Chairman
Major General (Rtd) James Illingworth OBE
Former Director Land Warfare & Former Deputy Commander Joint Helicopter CommandIMH Conference Chairman
CURRENT AND FUTURE ROTORCRAFT CAPABILITIES
8:50 - 9:20
ADVANCING POLAND’S COMBAT CAPABILITIES: BOLSTERING SECURITY ON THE EASTERN FLANK
Colonel Krzysztof Kwiatkowski -
Chief of Combat Aviation Helicopter Branch,
General Command of the Polish Armed Forces
- Impact of current conflict on attack missions, focusing on challenges and strategies to prepare for multi-domain operations with the acquisition of Apache helicopters from the US
- Ongoing efforts to modernise Poland’s rotary wing fleet with UAV compatible platforms, increasing to rapid response capabilities
- Learn how robust support infrastructure enhances the ability to sustain high-tempo operations in response to threats on the Eastern Flank
Colonel Krzysztof Kwiatkowski
Chief of Combat Aviation Helicopter BranchGeneral Command of the Polish Armed Forces
9:20 - 10:00
PANEL DISCUSSION: BALANCING MODERNISATION, INNOVATION, AND AFFORDABILITY
Major General (Rtd) James Illingworth OBE -
Former Director Land Warfare & Former Deputy Commander Joint Helicopter Command,
IMH Conference Chairman
Colonel Robert Tyler - Director Air Requirements, Royal Canadian Air Force
Helen Wheatley - NGRC and NMH Lead, DE&S - UK MoD
- Perspectives on how to balance investments to upgrade current fleets, while looking ahead to future programs and developments
- How are shifting procurement models impacting the timelines for development through to deployment, and how can industry support these approaches?
- How does the shifting balance of crewed and uncrewed systems impact the relationship between industry, government, and militaries?
- How do we strike the right balance between cost and capability, focusing on near-term requirements?
Major General (Rtd) James Illingworth OBE
Former Director Land Warfare & Former Deputy Commander Joint Helicopter CommandIMH Conference Chairman
10:00 - 10:30
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS - INTEGRATING ADVANCED WEAPON SYSTEMS
10:30 - 11:00
MORNING NETWORKING BREAK, VIP EXHIBITION TOURS & EXHIBITOR TECH DEMOS
ENHANCING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED AIRSPACE
11:00 - 11:30 MISSION AND REQUIREMENTS OF US ARMY AVIATION Colonel Timothy Jaeger - Director, Army Aviation, US Army- Current operational requirements for the US Army, focusing on lessons identified from current conflicts
- Army aviation modernisation priorities to increase situational awareness and lethality
- Future role of rotary aviation in combat, and capabilities needed to operate in increasingly contested air space
ENHANCING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED AIRSPACE
11:30 - 12:00 INDUSTRY INSIGHTS FROM HENSOLDTENHANCING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED AIRSPACE
12:00 - 12:30 MODERNISING THE HUNGARIAN AIR FORCE HELICOPTER UNITS Colonel Krisztián Kovács - Commander, 86th Helicopter Brigade, Hungarian Defence Forces, Joint Logistic and Suppo- Avionics and communication upgrade priorities for the existing fleet
- Future procurement plans to maximise effectiveness and improve readiness
- Importance of compatibility and interoperability between platforms
Colonel Krisztián Kovács
Commander, 86th Helicopter BrigadeHungarian Defence Forces, Joint Logistic and Suppo
INCREASING LETHALITY OF ROTARY AVIATION
11:00 - 11:30 CURRENT CAPABILITIES AND FUTURE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MARINEFLIEGERKOMMANDO Captain Broder Nielsen - Commander, German Naval Air Command- Challenges and successes from the integration of the NH-90 Sea Lion and Sea Lyn Mk88A fleets
- Bolstering lethality for ASW operations
- Future requirements for advanced surveillance capabilities
INCREASING LETHALITY OF ROTARY AVIATION
11:30 - 12:00 RESERVED FOR INDUSTRY INSIGHTSINCREASING LETHALITY OF ROTARY AVIATION
12:00 - 12:30 BOLSTERING OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS WITH CREWED-UNCREWED TEAMING Captain James Hall - Commanding Officer, RNAS Culdrose, Royal Navy- Force multiplying effect of integrating drones and crewed aircraft
- Challenge for deployed crews to identify where drones can support warfighting capability
- RNAS Culdrose plans to continue supporting RN effects in uncrewed systems
12:30 - 13:30
LUNCH AND NETWORKING BREAK
INTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
13:30 - 14:00 UTILISING UNCREWED ASSETS ALONGSIDE THE ROTARY FLEET Mark Langrill - Director Rotary Wing & Uncrewed Air Systems, DE&S - UK MoD- Impact of the UK’s SDR on the direction of rotary aviation
- Collaboration with industry to shape procurement processes
- Integrating uncrewed systems for lift, find, and attack missions
INTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
14:00 - 14:30 RESERVED FOR INDUSTRY INSIGHTSINTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
14:30 - 15:00 ADVANCING MANNED-UNMANNED TEAMING FOR ROTARY AVIATION Colonel Guido Krahl - Branch Chief, Army Aviation, Bundeswehr- Current requirements for UAS that operate in conjunction with crewed platforms
- Capability improvements of MUM-T for German Army Aviation
- Finding the right balance between autonomy and manned-unmanned teaming
ENHANCING AVAILABILITY AND READINESS IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENTS
13:30 - 14:00 PRIORITISING AVAILABILITY FOR THE CROATIAN AIR FORCE Colonel Krešimir Ražov - Commander, 93rd Wing, Croatian Air Force- Sustainment strategies for the entire Black Hawk life cycle
- Importance of versatility for a multi-mission helicopter fleet
- Future procurement priorities
ENHANCING AVAILABILITY AND READINESS IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENTS
14:00 - 14:30 TRANSFORMING MILITARY HELICOPTER TRAINING: FROM VIRTUAL TO MISSION-READY Scott Ariotti - Director of Programs, The DiSTI Corporation- Exploring the Future of Mission Readiness: Virtualized training is reshaping the development of helicopter crews, enhancing their readiness and adaptability in an ever-evolving operational landscape
- Enhancing Training Efficiency: Virtual scenarios can effectively prepare soldiers for realworld missions, fostering confidence and reducing risks while optimizing training time
- Informed Decision-Making through Analytics: Leveraging data and timely content updates provides commanders with valuable insights into team performance and readiness
- Insights from the Field: Real-world applications from military programs around the globe that have achieved notable improvements in operational efficiency and training effectiveness through advanced virtual environments
ENHANCING AVAILABILITY AND READINESS IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENTS
14:30 - 15:00 UTILISING AI AT THE CORE OF MILITARY AVIATION TO SUPPORT FRONTLINE OPERATIONS Commander Brett Gillies - Commanding Officer - 1710 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy- Delivering innovation not only at the edge, but at the core of aviation activity
- Real-world applications of AI to enhance availability
- Investing in digital tools for enhanced maintenance and sustainment
15:00 - 15:30
AFTERNOON COFFEE AND NETWORKING
FUTURE ROLE OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR ROTARY AVIATION
15:30 - 16:30 BUILDING A MODERNISED FLEET PREPARED FOR UNCREWED AVIATION Major General David Hafner AM CSC - Commander, Aviation Command, Australian Army- Priorities for achieving IOC for the Apache fleet in 2028
- Plans for integrating future drone and loitering munition capabilities
- Streamlining training and sustainment for the Black Hawk fleet
FUTURE ROLE OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR ROTARY AVIATION
16:30 - 17:00 FIRESIDE CHAT: ROTARY WING INNOVATIONS James Gavin - Deputy Director UKDI, MOD NAD UK Defence InnovationWhat is the UKDI perspective on the current innovation in rotary wing aviation alongside developments in uncrewed systems?
What models of partnership are proving most effective in accelerating the integration of new technologies into frontline rotary-wing capability?
Where are the most disruptive innovations emerging that could fundamentally change the role of rotary aviation in the next 10-15 years?
TRAINING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE THREATS
15:30 - 16:00 PRIORITIES FOR THE MULTINATIONAL HELICOPTER TRAINING CENTRE (MHTC) PROGRAMME Colonel Jorge Inacio - Commander, Multinational Helicopter Training Centre- Improving European military helicopter interoperability and capability
- Importance of delivering multinational tactic training to harmonise common TTPs
- Maximising preparation and readiness for current and future operational theatres
TRAINING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE THREATS
16:00 - 16:30 MEETING TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES TODAY: NATO JOINT FORCE TRAINING CENTRE PERSPECTIVE Major General Bogdan Rycerski - Commander, Joint Force Training Centre- Supporting current and future operations with advanced training technologies
- Improving interoperability and joint NATO capabilities
- Priorities for development the next generation of combat aviators
TRAINING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE THREATS
16:30 - 17:00 PANEL DISCUSSION: MAXIMISING READINESS WITH TACTICAL TRAINING STRATEGIE Commodore Steve Jose - Head of UKMFTS Portfolio, UK Ministry of DefenceColonel Jorge Inacio - Commander, Multinational Helicopter Training Centre
Meirion Roscoe - Technical Officer -NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE), NATO Support and Procurement Agency
- How are existing structures being leveraged to deliver state-of-the-are training for next generation pilots?
- How do experts view the balance required between live and simulated training programmes to enhance operational capability while keeping costs under control?
- How are existing training programmes developing to account for the integration of uncrewed capabilities into rotary wing operations?
Meirion Roscoe
Technical Officer -NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE)NATO Support and Procurement Agency
17:00 - 17:30
REDUCING BOTTLENECKS IN UAS AIRWORTHINESS AND APPROVAL TO OPERATE WITH ROTARY FLEETS
- Certification challenges of uncrewed systems, and current regulatory status
- Accelerating the approval process of operating UAS in the UK
- Importance of collaboration to ensure safe integration of increasingly sophisticated UAS with existing rotary fleets
