24 - 26 February 2026 I Novotel London West, London, United Kingdom
DAY TWO | WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2026
7:15 - 8:00
REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
8:05 - 8:10
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
8:10 - 8:40
KEYNOTE: ROTARY POWER IN ALLIANCE: ADVANCING NATO INTEROPERABILITY, READINESS, AND MARITIME REACH
Admiral Sir Keith Blount KCB OBE -
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander (DSACEUR) Europe,
NATO-ACO-SHAPE
- Enhancing multinational interoperability across NATO rotary assets to maximise mission effectivenes
- Reinforcing NATO joint force readiness by supporting scalable options from deterrence forward presence to high-intensity conflict and rapid humanitarian assistance
- Expanding the indispensable role of rotary aviation in advancing NATO’s integrated maritime posture and expeditionary flexibility
Admiral Sir Keith Blount KCB OBE
Deputy Supreme Allied Commander (DSACEUR) EuropeNATO-ACO-SHAPE
CURRENT AND FUTURE ROTORCRAFT CAPABILITIES
8:40 - 9:10
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
9:10 - 9:40
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS - INTEGRATING ADVANCED WEAPON SYSTEMS
9:40 - 10:10
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
Major General David Hafner AM CSC - Commander, Aviation Command, Australian Army
Colonel Robert Tyler - Director Air Requirements, Royal Canadian Air Force
Helen Wheatley - Air Futures, NAD Group
Jay Macklin - Director, Army, and Air Force (AAFS) Strategy and Business Development, Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company
- 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
Jay Macklin
Director, Army, and Air Force (AAFS) Strategy and Business DevelopmentSikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company
10:10 - 10:40
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE 16 AIR ASSAULT BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
Brigadier Ed Cartwright -
Commander,
16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team
10:40 - 11:10
MORNING NETWORKING BREAK, VIP EXHIBITION TOURS & EXHIBITOR TECH DEMOS
ENHANCING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED AIRSPACE
11:10 - 11:40 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
11:40 - 12:10 INDUSTRY INSIGHTS FROM HENSOLDTENHANCING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED AIRSPACE
12:10 - 12:40 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
11:40 - 12:10 BOLSTERING ASW CAPABILITIES OF THE NAVAL AIR COMMAND Rear Admiral Cho Young-sang - Commander, ROKN Naval Air Command, Republic of Korea Navy- Enhancing the Navy’s ability to detect and counter submarine threats from adversaries with the introduction of the MH-60R Seahawks
- Importance of longer flight endurance for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare operations
- Interoperability between new and existing fleets to support maritime patrol operations
INCREASING LETHALITY OF ROTARY AVIATION
12:10 - 12:40 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
12:40 - 13:40
LUNCH AND NETWORKING BREAK
INTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
13:40 - 14:10 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
INTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
14:10 - 14:40 FIRESIDE CHAT: DELIVERING CREWED-UNCREWED TEAMING CAPALITIES- Examining how crewed platforms and autonomous assets can share tasks and enhance situational awareness without overloading crews
- Operational lessons from early CUC-T deployments
- Building a scalable, interoperable roadmap for the future
INTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
14:40 - 15:10 ENHANCING ROTARY AVIATION CAPABILITIES Rodney Davis - Deputy Program Executive Officier - Aviation, US Army- Accelerating modernisation across fleets
- Expanding the role of unmanned systems
- Strengthening sustainment and training ecosystems
INTEGRATION OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR LIFT, FIND, AND ATTACK MISSIONS
15:10 - 16:40 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
ENHANCING AVAILABILITY AND READINESS IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENTS
13:40 - 14:10 PRIORITISING AVAILABILITY FOR THE CROATIAN AIR FORCE Brigadier General Krešimir Ražov - Commander, 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
14:10 - 14:40 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
14:40 - 15:10 FIRESIDE CHAT: NAVAL PERSPECTIVES ON FUTURE VERTICAL LIFT AND REGIONAL SUSTAINMENT FRAMEWORK Brigadier General David Walsh - Program Executive Officer, Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Miss, Department of the NavyColonel Kate Fleeger - Program Manager, H-53 Helicopters Program, US Marine Corps
Captain Will Hargreaves - Program Manager, H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter Program, US Navy
Brigadier General David Walsh
Program Executive Officer, Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special MissDepartment of the Navy
ENHANCING AVAILABILITY AND READINESS IN INCREASINGLY CONTESTED ENVIRONMENTS
15:10 - 15:40 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
15:40 - 16:10
AFTERNOON COFFEE AND NETWORKING
FUTURE ROLE OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR ROTARY AVIATION
16:10 - 16:40 IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPERIMENTATION OF UAVS IN FRENCH ARMY AVIATION Colonel Guillaume Briançon-Rouge - Head of HR, Studies, and Doctrinal Foresight, French Army Aviation- Priorities for UAV development and integration
- Interoperability challenges and proposed solutions
- Experimentation results and progress
Colonel Guillaume Briançon-Rouge
Head of HR, Studies, and Doctrinal ForesightFrench Army Aviation
FUTURE ROLE OF UNCREWED CAPABILITIES FOR ROTARY AVIATION
16:40 - 17:10 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
16:10 - 16:40 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
16:40 - 17:10 PANEL DISCUSSION: MAXIMISING READINESS WITH TACTICAL TRAINING STRATEGIE Commodore Steve Jose - Head of UKMFTS Portfolio, UK Ministry of DefenceLieutenant Colonel Rickard Rörberg - Chief Instructor, Multinational Helicopter Training Centre
- 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?
Lieutenant Colonel Rickard Rörberg
Chief InstructorMultinational Helicopter Training Centre
17:10 - 17:40
REDUCING BOTTLENECKS IN UAS AIRWORTHINESS AND APPROVAL TO OPERATE WITH ROTARY FLEETS
Neil Mathieson -
Head of Regulation and Certification,
Military Aviation Authority - UK MoD
- 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
17:40 - 18:10
PANEL DISCUSSION: DEFINING THE FUTURE OF CREWED-UNCREWED TEAMING
Brigadier Hubert Doutaud -
Deputy Commander,
French Army Aviation
- How are industry and military approaching the challenge of achieving seamless interoperability with modern uncrewed systems?
- What role is AI playing in CUC-T developments, and where should the line be drawn with AI decision making?
- How will widespread adoption of CUC-T reshape rotary wing doctrine, and the balance between crewed and uncrewed systems in future force structures?
