24 - 26 February 2026 I Novotel London West, London, United Kingdom
DAY THREE | THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2026
7:45 - 8:25
REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
INDUSTRY MORNING
8:25 - 8:30 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
INDUSTRY MORNING
8:30 - 10:00 INTERACTIVE ROUNDTABLES: JOIN TECHNICAL EXPERTS TO DISCUSS CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS FOR ADVANCED ROTARY CAPABILITIESTABLE 1: BALANCING LIVE AND SYNTHETIC TRAINING
TABLE 2: INTEGRATION OF ALE AND DRONE MULES
TABLE 3: UTILISING AI AND DIGITAL TOOLS FOR MAINTENANCE
TABLE 4: WEAPON SYSTEMS
TABLE 5: ADVANCED AVIONICS, COMMUNICATIONS & CONNECTIVITY
TABLE 6: INCREASING SURVIVABILITY WITH ARMOUR AND PROTECTION
INDUSTRY MORNING
10:00 - 10:30 ROUNDTABLE FEEDBACK ‘PANEL IN THE ROUND’ SESSIONFollowing in-depth roundtable discussions, hear fresh perspectives from SME representatives, defence primes, and industry experts. Propose new questions and share ideas to align your priorities with the evolving military rotorcraft ecosystem.
PRIORITISING FLEET VERSATILITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS
8:25 - 8:30 CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS Rear Admiral (Rtd) Michael Steffen - Former Commander, Navy Reserve Fores Command & HSL-60, US Navy
Rear Admiral (Rtd) Michael Steffen
Former Commander, Navy Reserve Fores Command & HSL-60US Navy
PRIORITISING FLEET VERSATILITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS
8:30 - 9:00 STRENGTHENING AUSTRIA’S ROTARY DEFENCE Brigadier General Wolfgang Luttenberger - Commander, Air Support Brigade, Austrian Air Force- Enhanced operational capability with upgraded Black Hawk helicopters delivering improved mobility, survivability, and mission flexibility
- Supporting interoperability with partners and allies
- Aligning future acquisition priorities with long-terms force development goals
PRIORITISING FLEET VERSATILITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS
9:00 - 9:30 VTOL FORCE APPLICATION OPPORTUNITIES Colonel Lawrence Jones - Deputy Division Chief, US Joint Staff, J8• Anchoring with Allies and Partners to build enduring advantages through force planning and integration
• A holistic look at the capability requirements of the next generation of VTOL aircraft in the future operating environment
• Maximising operational agility to meet contested and dispersed battlefield demands
PRIORITISING FLEET VERSATILITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS
9:30 - 10:00 MODERNISING ROTARY WING CAPABILITIES FOR MULTI-ROLE MISSIONS Colonel Stefan Okos - Commander, 51st Helicopter Wing, Slovak Air Force• Enhancing capacity for defence, SAR, disaster relief, and medevac operations
• Ensuring seamless integration with allied forces through common standards and training exercises
• Future procurement outlook
PRIORITISING FLEET VERSATILITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONS
10:00 - 10:30 GUEPARD HELICOPTER REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME Lieutenant Colonel David Beatrix - Rotary Wing Experimental Test Pilot, French Air and Space Force- Producing a multi-role, modular, versatile & ever-evolving product
- Making the most of a common platform between forces to maximise operational efficiency, minimise cost, and offering opportunities for building joint operational use cases & doctrines
- Developments in connectivity, interoperability, and avionics to support uncrewed teaming
Lieutenant Colonel David Beatrix
Rotary Wing Experimental Test PilotFrench Air and Space Force
10:30 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE AND NETWORKING BREAK
11:00 - 11:30
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ARMY AVIATION: MODERNIZATION, INDIGENOUS CAPABILITY, AND MANNED-UNMANNED TEAMING
Major General Zeynel Abidin Erginbas -
Commander, Turkish Army Aviation,
Turkish Armed Forces Army Aviation
- Modernisation programmes within Turkish Army Aviation, with a focus on operational readiness and sustainability
- The contribution of nationally developed rotary-wing platforms to strengthening sovereign capability and reducing external dependency
- Integration of Manned–Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concepts and emerging technologies in shaping the future of army aviation operations
Major General Zeynel Abidin Erginbas
Commander, Turkish Army AviationTurkish Armed Forces Army Aviation
11:30 - 12:00
PANEL DISCUSSION LEAD BY ANDURIL
12:00 - 12:30
DELIVERING CH-47F FOR THE GERMAN AIR FORCE
Colonel Christian Guntsch -
Advisor to the Air Chief for CH-47F,
German Air Force
• Current priorities and preparations for the arrival of the CH-47F fleet, including progress on training and sustainment planning
• Key features tailored for German Air Force requirements, and the importance of interoperability with NATO partners
• Unique modifications to enhance self-protection and deterrence
12:30 - 13:00
MODERNISING THE SWISS TRANSPORT FLEET
Sandro Martino -
Program Manager Military Transport Helicopter,
Armasuisse
• Extending operational life with upgrades and modernisation
• Prioritising improved safety and reliability
• Specific capability requirements to meet current and future demands
ADVANCING INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN PLATFORMS AND ALLIES
13:00 - 14:00
LUNCH AND NETWORKING BREAK
14:00 - 14:30
USASOAC: DRIVING INTEROPERABILITY AND LETHALITY ACROSS THE JOINT FORCE
Colonel Stephen Smith -
Regiment Commander,
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
• Advanced technology and tactics to maintain dominance in complex environments
• Enhancing mission success through synchronised planning, training, and execution
• Integrating Special Operations Aviation capabilities seamlessly with joint forces
14:30 - 15:00
PRIORITIES FOR THE MULTINATIONAL HELICOPTER TRAINING CENTRE (MHTC) PROGRAMME
Lieutenant Colonel Rickard Rörberg -
Chief Instructor,
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
Lieutenant Colonel Rickard Rörberg
Chief InstructorMultinational Helicopter Training Centre
15:00 - 15:30
INTEGRATING UNCREWED SYSTEMS INTO THE FUTURE BATTLESPACE
Arbo Probal -
UxS and C-UxS Program Manager, Force Transformation Command,
Estonian Defence Forces
• UxS development trends and lessons learned from current conflicts
• Counter-UAS innovation and operational adaptations
• Interoperability considerations for scalable unmanned systems in future force structures
Arbo Probal
UxS and C-UxS Program Manager, Force Transformation CommandEstonian Defence Forces
15:30 - 16:00
AFTERNOON TEA BREAK & VIP EXHIBITION TOURS
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MULTI-DOMAIN OPERATIONS
16:00 - 16:30
UNIFIED MULTI-DOMAIN CAPABILITIES FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
Colonel Fernando Roselló -
NH90 Programme Manager,
Directorate-General of Arms and Materiel (DGAM)
• Strengthening joint operational effectiveness with the NH90 deliveries across the Air and Space Force, FAMET, and Navy
• Streamlining training, logistics, and maintenance
• Procurement plans for the Spanish Armed Forces rotary-wing fleet
Colonel Fernando Roselló
NH90 Programme ManagerDirectorate-General of Arms and Materiel (DGAM)
16:30 - 17:00
PANEL DISCUSSION: MAXIMISING ROTORCRAFT EFFECTIVENESS IN MULTI-DOMAIN OPERATIONS
Captain Broder Nielsen -
Commander,
German Naval Air Command
Nick Childs - Senior Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies
• With worldwide interest for multi-use helicopters, what capabilities should Armed Forces prioritise given current security challenges and evolving threats?
• What capabilities are required for enduring fleets to be operationally effective in MDO environments?
• How are nations fostering better coordination and collaboration through multinational helicopter exercises, and how does this aid in preparing for multi-domain operations?
• How are militaries planning to optimise battlespace management when operating in MDO environments?
