21 - 22 January 2026
| The Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Enabling Naval Power with Technology for Next Generation Surface Warships
Nations across the globe are in a transitional period, where many of their surface fleets are aging out of service and in need of replacement. With the inevitable need for surface fleet modernisation, nations are actively assessing different ways to update their surface fleets to meet the changing requirements of an evolving threat environment. Amongst these challenges are the long lead times involved in shipbuilding and ensuring that warships keep pace with technological advancement. Discourse surrounding the hybrid fleet concept and integrating uncrewed naval systems with warships are becoming more and more prominent.
This transitional period coincides with a time when the Euro-Atlantic alliance is edging closer to war, with rising tensions with Russia and China. Some have even argued this is the nearest we have come to war involving a NATO partner in our lifetime. Many conflicts are already spilling into the maritime domain, and changing the face of surface warfare, as seen with the Ukraine’s successful use of drone warfare against Russia in the Black Sea. The role of surface warfare in protecting critical undersea infrastructure and international trade cannot be disputed as seen in the Red Sea conflict. Aside from current ongoing conflicts, grey zone activity in areas like the Arctic, are indicators that such regions might potentially be the stage for the playing out of great competition. As a result, navies are looking to build surface warships that can operate in a variety of conditions, including extreme cold weather.
With an ever-evolving threat landscape, where hybrid warfare is being enlisted, warship technology has evolved to solve these newer challenges that navies are facing. Nations are looking to enhance warships with autonomous, AI and ML- powered technologies. With the ongoing digital transformation taking place in the maritime domain, the biggest technological advancements may not be in platforms but rather the digital arena. Programs like the Royal Navy’s Project CABOT are a great indicator of this.
Recognising the need for navies to tackle this new security landscape, Defence iQ’s Surface Warships conference returns on 21- 22 January. Bringing together military leaders, decision makers and experts from across the naval ecosystem to find solutions to the most pressing challenges in building, maintaining and deploying surface warships in today’s environment.
This transitional period coincides with a time when the Euro-Atlantic alliance is edging closer to war, with rising tensions with Russia and China. Some have even argued this is the nearest we have come to war involving a NATO partner in our lifetime. Many conflicts are already spilling into the maritime domain, and changing the face of surface warfare, as seen with the Ukraine’s successful use of drone warfare against Russia in the Black Sea. The role of surface warfare in protecting critical undersea infrastructure and international trade cannot be disputed as seen in the Red Sea conflict. Aside from current ongoing conflicts, grey zone activity in areas like the Arctic, are indicators that such regions might potentially be the stage for the playing out of great competition. As a result, navies are looking to build surface warships that can operate in a variety of conditions, including extreme cold weather.
With an ever-evolving threat landscape, where hybrid warfare is being enlisted, warship technology has evolved to solve these newer challenges that navies are facing. Nations are looking to enhance warships with autonomous, AI and ML- powered technologies. With the ongoing digital transformation taking place in the maritime domain, the biggest technological advancements may not be in platforms but rather the digital arena. Programs like the Royal Navy’s Project CABOT are a great indicator of this.
Recognising the need for navies to tackle this new security landscape, Defence iQ’s Surface Warships conference returns on 21- 22 January. Bringing together military leaders, decision makers and experts from across the naval ecosystem to find solutions to the most pressing challenges in building, maintaining and deploying surface warships in today’s environment.
Join us in London to hear from the senior military leaders, naval decision makers and industry experts shaping future surface fleets!
2026 Speakers
Rear Admiral Craig Wood
Deputy Commander
STRIKFORNATO
Rear Admiral Naoya Hoshi
Director General Logistics Department
JMSDF
Commodore Ivo Värk
Commander
Estonian Navy
Dr. Sidharth Kaushal
Senior Fellow
RUSI
David Manley
Head of Specialism, Platform Survivability
University College London
Why Attend Surface Warships 2026?
Gain access to a truly international speaker line up with perspectives from navies from across: the UK, US, Europe, Canada, Asia, Africa, Oceania
Get updates on key programs that are in the concept phase from the managers and heads leading the programs, including: Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSS) Program and Future Air Defence Dominance System (FADS) (including Type 83 Destroyers program)
Discuss the role of surface warfare and combatant ships in dettering and defending the Euro-Atlantic region (including the Arctic and Black Sea) and other regions like the Red Sea
Hear from experts on how uncrewed systems are being integrated with combatant ships for the enhancement of surface fleets in a modern battlefield
Towards a More Powerful but Cheaper and Simpler Fleet: Get an understanding of the the UK’s recent Strategic Defence Review and it’s impact on the UK’s surface fleet and the wider industry
Exclusive Content:
Warships; Their Subsystems, and Organic Unmanned Platforms Selected Countries Market Report 2024-2029
In this market report we cover programmes involving: large surface combatants, naval systems employed on surface combatants, and uncrewed platforms.
Surface Warship Market Report 2025-2029: Selected Markets
This report highlights the most prominent global Warship programmes, the current status of the programmes, and the spending trends per country.
Ukraine's Unmanned Surface Vessels and Their Implications for Sea Surface Warfare
This article was written by Anton Tabur and Captain 1st rank (Ret.) Andriy Ryzhenko. Together, they explore the rising trend in Sea Surface Warfare, giving their insight and expert opinion.
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