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Mobile Deployable Communications
24 January - 25 January 2024
Mobile Deployable Communications

SAE Media Group is proud to announce the 17th annual Mobile Deployable Communications conference, taking place on 24th-25th January 2024.

From the strategic level down to the tactical, efficient and clear communications are key to operational success. The fast pace of modern warfare requires agile, highly adaptable forces capable of rapid movement whilst maintaining a consistent communication and situational awareness capability. Interoperability is also becoming increasingly important to ensure seamless command and control within a multinational coalition, especially given the rising operational tempo across Europe.

Why attend:

MDC will give you a unique opportunity to meet and network with senior military leaders and industry. Discover the latest communication technology to optimise battlefield C2. Join the discussion and shape the future of communications technology.

The Mobile Deployable Communications conference is designed to bring together global leading program managers, strategic decision-makers, industry experts and thought leaders to explore the latest developments in communications technology. MDC is the only truly international conference which focuses on deployable CIS.

 

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Colonel Karol Trup

Colonel Karol Trup

Head of Deployable CIS Department, CIS Branch Modernisation Division, Slovak Ministry of Defence
Colonel Ronald Iammartino

Colonel Ronald Iammartino

Commander, 2D Theater Signal Brigade, US Army
Colonel Rui Jorge Fernandes Bettencourt

Colonel Rui Jorge Fernandes Bettencourt

Director, Directorate of Communication and Information, Portuguese Army
Group Captain Paul Jennings

Group Captain Paul Jennings

Commanding Officer, 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force

Anders Ostby

Sales Manager, Satcube AB
Anders Ostby

 Sales Manager at Satcube, Anders joined Satcube early 2023. With over 20 years of passion for bringing solutions to people that really needs it and great experience with developing sales-team, Anders is today responsible for Satcube’s sales force that operates in the European and Asian market. 

 
Today, Satcube enables government agencies, helps organizations, major media houses, and NGOs to tap high-speed satellite broadband connectivity for mission-critical communication. 
 

Brigadier (Ret.) Neil Couch

Consultant, Cartera Limited
Brigadier (Ret.) Neil Couch

Neil Couch commanded signals units and formations of the British Army on NATO, UN and national operations and on training from the Arctic to southern Africa, deploying mobile, tactical communications in support of combined arms teams and brigade, divisional and corps headquarters.  He held various staff jobs in the UK MOD with responsibility for operational planning of joint communications deployment and for future capability development.  Since leaving the Army in 2012 he has worked as an independent consultant, principally in the mobile space communications sector.  

Brigadier General Ray Phariss

Deputy Chief of Staff, CIO/G6, US Army Europe and Africa
Brigadier General Ray Phariss

 FROM   TO

Jul 22 Present Chief Information Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff, G6, United States Army Europe-Africa,
Wiesbaden, Germany
 
Jul 21 Jul 22 Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army Reserve Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Jul-Sep
21, non-rated)
 
Aug 18 Jul 21 Chief of Staff, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations? Command (Airborne),
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
 
May 17 Aug 18 Assistant Chief of Staff, G6, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological? Operations
Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Jun-Jul 17, non-rated)
 
Jun 15 May 17 Commander, 98th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Mesa, Arizona
 
Jul 14 Jun 15 Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
 
Dec 10 Jun 14 Assistant Chief of Staff, G6, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological? Operations
Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Dec 10, non-rated)
 
Mar 10 Jan 11 Deputy Communications Integrator, Regional Command – East, 335th? Signal Command (Theater)
(Operational Command Post), OPERATION? ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan
 
Dec 09 Mar 10 Deputy Communications Integrator, Regional Command – East, 335th? Signal Command (Theater),
East Point, Georgia
 
Dec 07 Dec 09 Executive Officer, 319th Signal Battalion, Sacramento, California
 
Apr 07 Dec 07 Strategic Planning Analyst, Human Resources Command, Saint Louis, Missouri
 
Apr 05 Apr 07 Systems Analyst, Human Resources Command, Saint Louis, Missouri
 
Jan 03 Apr 05 Executive Officer to the Chief Integration Officer, Army Chief Information Office/G-? 6, Washington,
DC
 
Feb 02 Jan 03 Duty Officer, Global Communication, Command and Control Center, United States? Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
 
Mar 00 Jan 02 Commander, Recruiting Detachment, United States Military Academy, West Point,? New York
 
Jun 99 Mar 00 Individual Ready Reserve
 
Mar 99 May 99 Signal Officer, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas
 
Sep 98 Mar 99 Signal Officer, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, OPERATION JOINT FORGE, Bosnia Jun 98 Sep 98 Signal Officer, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas
 
Jul 96 Jun 98 Signal Officer, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas
 
Mar 95 Jul 96 Platoon Leader, Company D, 13th Signal Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas
 
Jul 94 Mar 95 Student, Signal Officer Basic Course, Fort Gordon, Georgia
 
May 94 Jul 94 Casual

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS

Deputy Communications Integrator, Regional Command – East, 335th?Signal Command (Theater) (Operational Command Post), OPERATION?ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan

Signal Officer, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, OPERATION JOINT FORGE, Bosnia

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) Parachutist Badge
Ranger Tab
Army Staff Identification Badge

 
 

 

Colonel Karol Trup

Head of Deployable CIS Department, CIS Branch Modernisation Division, Slovak Ministry of Defence
Colonel Karol Trup

 Colonel Karol TRUP started his military career in 1989 at the Military Secondary School of Signals in Nove Mesto nad Vahom. Upon completion of his studies in 1993 he joined the Military Academy in Liptovsky Mikulas from which he graduated in 1998 with master degree in military Communication Systems.

His military assignments span from the Chief of Signals at the antitank battalion through the head of deployable CIS department at the J6 Branch of the Slovak General Staff. During this period he acquired broad knowledge of NATO. From 2008 till 2012 He served at the Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia USA as the subject matter expert for deployable CIS capabilities. From 2018 till 2021 he represented Slovakia as the national C3 Representative to NATO and EU at the NATO HQ in Brussels, Belgium. Here he also acted as the Dean of the NATO C3 Board, the senior policy committee advising the North Atlantic Council on all CIS and Cyber related matters. Further enhancing his international experience Col. Trup graduated from the US Armed Forces Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas USA in 2015.
 
His current position is the Head of deployable CIS department at the Armament Division of the Slovak Ministry of Defence. He is responsible for all project related to development and implementation of deployable CIS capabilities within Slovak Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence.
 

Colonel Mietta Groeneveld

Director, NATO Command and Control Centre of Excellence
Colonel Mietta Groeneveld

Colonel Mietta Groeneveld was born in Amsterdam, in 1968 and she grew up in Lisse, with her parents and brother. She graduated from the Royal Military Academy in Breda as Maintenance Officer in 1991. After her first assignments in the Netherlands and Germany, she was selected in 1997 to attend the Technical University in Delft where she achieved a Master of Science degree in Applied Physics in 2001.

After this study she has been posted at several positions at the Army Materiel Command, Army Staff, Personnel Department at the Ministry of Defence and as Project Account Manager at Defence Material Organization.
 
In 2008 she was given the command over a maintenance unit of roughly 500 employees. Promoted to colonel in 2010 she became Head of the Program Office SPEER and as such responsible for the scope, quality assurance, budget and planning at program level off numerous projects aimed at building and migrating joint financial and materiel logistics in the Dutch Armed Forces based on SAP. In 2013 she attended the National Security Program at the Canadian Forces College, a high-level course aimed to prepare selected leaders for strategic responsibilities within a global security environment.
 
In August 2014 she became Branch Head Multilateral Military Affairs within the Department of Defence in the Netherlands. And from 2018 until 2021 she has been Branch Head Management and Services within the Army Staff. Since July 2021 she is the Director of the NATO Command and Control Center of Excellence, located in Utrecht. During her career she was deployed to Kirgizstan as Deputy Senior National Representative as part of the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) in Operation Enduring Freedom and to Afghanistan as the CJ4 of Training and Advisory Command-North and the NLD-SNR in Resolute Support at Masar-e-Sharif. Colonel Groeneveld has been a member of the Dutch Military Orienteering Team and competed in 15 Military World Championships and numerous international orienteering events. She is 11-time military champion in orienteering. She is active as an editor for the military-science journal of the Dutch Armed Forces “Militaire Spectator”. In 2018 she became President of AFCEA Chapter The Hague and she is President of APA, the Technical Staff officers association. In her spare-time she is a hobby electrician and likes to play hockey and chess. 
 

Colonel Ronald Iammartino

Commander, 2D Theater Signal Brigade, US Army
Colonel Ronald Iammartino

Colonel Rui Jorge Fernandes Bettencourt

Director, Directorate of Communication and Information, Portuguese Army
Colonel Rui Jorge Fernandes Bettencourt

 Colonel Rui Bettencourt joined the Portuguese Army in 1986, graduating from the Military Academy in 1991 as a Signals Officer and, in 1995, graduated in Computers and Electronics Engineering - Telecommunications at Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon.

 
He initiated his career as a software developer and systems analyst at the Portuguese Army ADP Department, where later on achieved the position of Software Development Section Head. Following these junior officer years, he served at Joint HQ SOUTHLANT/Joint Command Lisbon, later returning to the Army to attend the Staff Course and Joint Staff Course at the Command and Staff College (Instituto Universitario Militar, current denomination), where he was invited to serve as a Doctrine and Academic Research Officer and later as an Army Education Branch Instructor. From 2012 through 2014, Colonel Bettencourt served in the Army Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Directorate as Head of the Command and Control Branch and Head of Information and Knowledge Management Branch. In 2014 he was stationed at the Army Combined Arms School (Escola das Armas) as Head of Signals Branch, returning in 2016 to the CIS Directorate as Head of the CIS Operations Department, at the Army CIS and Cyber Centre (Centro de Transmissoes do Exercito).
 

Group Captain Paul Jennings

Commanding Officer, 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force
Group Captain Paul Jennings

 Group Captain Jennings is a Cyberspace officer whose service has included tactical communications, cyber operations and capability development. He attended Leeds Beckett University, graduating in 2001 with a degree in Electronic Engineering.

Joining the RAF in 2002, after completing his training he was posted to Belgium as a Flight Systems Manager for NATO’s Tactical Leadership Programme before returning to the UK in 2006 as a Flight Commander within 90 Signals Unit, deploying three times to the Middle East (Op TELIC and Op HERRICK). A subsequent Exchange Officer assignment with the United States Air Force’s 5th Combat Comms Group saw him supporting U.S. Ops IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM in addition to deploying on U.S. Humanitarian Relief Operations.
 
Following a short stint at Defence Intelligence in 2011 supporting Op ELLAMY, Jennings was promoted to Squadron Leader and sent on Exchange for the second time with the United States Air Force’s 24th Air Force, the cyber service component to United States Cyber Command, as the J3 Division Chief. He returned to 90 Signals Unit in 2015 to take command of 2 Field Comms Squadron where he oversaw the delivery of CIS to Ops KIPION, SHADER and AZOTIZE as well as contributing to the RAF’s evolving cyber strategy. 
 
Promoted to Wing Commander in 2017, Jennings held two SO1 positions within UKStratCom as both Cap C4ISR Desk Officer and Joint User Cyber, securing funding for future cyber programmes and developing the MOD’s Cyber Security Operations Capability concepts. In 2020 he was appointed to command the Joint Defensive Cyber Unit, leading the day-to-day sub-threshold activity to secure and defend MOD’s critical IT infrastructure. 
 
Jennings was appointed Commanding Officer of 90 Signals Unit on promotion to Group Captain in 2022.
 

Huw Jenkins

Comms Campaign Manager, Elbit Systems U K
Huw Jenkins

 Huw joined Elbit Systems (UK) in Mar 21 following a full (37 year) career in the UK-Army.  

He retired as a Colonel, where his last appointment was within a large NATO facing operational HQ as defacto Chief Operating Officer for the 2500 strong 1st (UK) Signals Brigade and as ACOS-G6/CEMA within the 3-Star Allied Command Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).  He has significant real-world operational experience in the global employment and deployment of all CIS capabilities and is also a professionally qualified Engineer (CEng MIET) and technologist. Since Mar 21, he has successfully applied that experience and knowledge within a Defence Industrial context and has been responsible driving a programme of activity that seeks to deliver practical solutions to UK Defence and Security CIS needs.  
 
In this context Huw has frequent contact with SMEs in the pull-through of evolutionary and innovative capabilities and in identifying and capitalising on cutting edge research and development opportunities.  As a professionally qualified engineer (CEng MIET) he has developed a firm reputation for understanding at a System of Systems level the underlying technologies.
 
 

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Treiblmaier

Head of ICT Operations and Electronic Warfare Section, Austrian Armed Forces
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Treiblmaier

Alexander TREIBLMAIER, MA, MSc (born 1981) was promoted as officer in 2011 and completed the Master studies at the University of Sopron (Management and Leadership) and at the Austrian National Defence Academy in Vienna. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Belgrade in the Department of International Management. He is the Head of the Institute Cyber and electronic warfare at the signal school of the Austrian Armed forces in Vienna. His military professional career and experience reaches from the work as platoon-leader, staff officer (G-6 branch) at the 3rd mechanized infantry brigade and teacher for tactics at the signal school. During his academic career, he specialized in military leadership in combination with management science and the impact of international trends and the technological developments on the training and education in the Austrian Armed Forces

Lieutenant Colonel Erik Haeuptle

Deputy Director, Interoperability & Proponency Branch Chief, Joint Interoperability & Data Link Training Center (JID-TC)
Lieutenant Colonel Erik Haeuptle

 Lieutenant Colonel Erik J. Haeuptle is the Joint Staff, J7, Joint Interoperability & Data Link Training Center, Deputy Director and Branch Chief of Interoperability & Proponency. The Interoperability & Proponency Branch of the JID-TC exists to advance Multi-TADL Network & Joint Data Network interoperability through engagement with Joint Staff, Combatant Commanders, Allied & Coalition partners, Service components, and DoD Agencies. I&P provides subject matter expertise to CCMDs for Multi-Tactical & Joint Data Network operations in order to enhance the lethality of the Joint Warfighter and ensure all domain readiness across the full range of military operations.

 
Lt Colonel Haeuptle earned his commission in 2003 from Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 620 and received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bowling Green State University. Following graduation, he spent a year awaiting training at Eglin AFB in the 728th Air Control Squadron and as a 33rd Operations Group executive officer. Lt Col Haeuptle then attended Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training at Tyndall AFB, FL and then became an E-3B/C Air Weapons Officer, Air Surveillance Officer, and Assistant Flight Commander for the 963d Airborne Air Control Squadron at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. After his Tinker assignment, he became an Air Liaison Officer/Fighter Duty Officer and Weapons & Tactics Flight CC & Director of Logistics for the 682d Air Support Operations Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Ft Bragg, NC. Following that assignment, he served as the lead Air Battle Manager and Mission Crew Commander Instructor as well as an Assistant Director of Operations in the 330th Combat Training Squadron, Robins AFB, GA. After leaving his assignment at Robins, he became the Director of Operations, 14th Air Support Operations Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Ft Bragg, North Carolina. 
 
Finally, Lt Col Haeuptle became the Commander of the 682d Air Support Operations Squadron, deactivated the unit, and then stood up the 818th Operation Support Squadron, the TACPs first-ever OSS.
 
Lieutenant Colonel Haeuptle is a senior Air Battle Manager with over 2075 hours, 105 Combat Sorties, and over 1200 combat hours logged in the E-3 AWACS and E-8 JSTARS. As a Senior Air Battle Manger with over 5 deployments, he supported Operations NOBLE EAGLE, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE. Finally, as a Tactical Air Control Party Officer and Air Liaison Officer, he supported Operation Enduring Freedom.
 

Major Adrian Hosking

SO2 EOD ECM and CIS, Defence EOD and Search, British Army
Major Adrian Hosking

 Major Adrian Hosking has been employed by the Royal Corps of Signals since 1996. He has served in technical and operational roles in the United Kingdom, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Falkland Islands, Canada and Poland. Following a successful soldier career he was commissioned in 2015.

As an Army specialist in a variety of communications technologies, Adrian has spent the majority of his career planning the CIS communications laydowns and concepts for deployed operational headquarters.
 
He is a graduate of the Battlespace Technology Course with Cranfield University and Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Land) with the Defence Academy. He is presently employed within the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search community where he is responsible for the delivery of information capabilities in support of the C-CBRNE Technical Response Force.
 

Major Dr Daniel Watzenig

CTO, Professor, Virtual Vehicle Research , TU Graz
Major Dr Daniel Watzenig

Major General (Ret.) Bill Robins

CEO, BRL
Major General (Ret.) Bill Robins

 Bill Robins led tactical communications in airborne, mechanized and armoured formations of the British Army. He commanded the Army’s Electronic Warfare Regiment in the early 80s during the Cold War, defined the requirement for the UK Government protected Crisis Management Centre and chaired the Management Board for the MOD/BT PFI programme for Defence Fixed Telecommunications. 

He now runs his own Defence and Security consultancy, BRL. He is a Senior Associate Fellow of RUSI
 

Major Jef Moonen

S6, Special Operations Regiment, Belgian Army
Major Jef Moonen
  • I started at the BEL NCO School in Sep 1992
  • I subsequently did engineer NCO training, followed by Para and Commando training, to join 14 Para Engineer Coy as a Combat Engineer Squad Leader
  • In 2000, I became Comms NCO of the unit
  • In 2002, I did the CIS Offr course, to become Plt Cdr in the 10 CIS Gp; first on the RITA System; later on the Satcom Platoon
  • Afterwards I joined the 6 CIS Gp as Para Plt Cdr in 2005; so with a focus on Airborne Ops and lighter means
  • In 2009, I became S3 of the 10 CIS Gp, responsible for Ops and Training planning
  • In 2012, I became CIS Responsible for the BEL Def Ops Centre; with integrations of NSWAN, EU Ops WAN and CENTRIXS
  • In 2015; I became Manager of DMZ Systems of BEL Def, responsible for acquisition, implementation and policies of all firewalls and security products
  • After my Staff Course in 2018, I became S6 of the BEL SO Regt in 2019, which I will remain until 2024
  • I participated in several missions under UN, NATO, EU and national lead. 
 

Oswald Vazquez

Business Development Account Manager, REDCOM Laboratories, Inc
Oswald Vazquez

Mr. Oswald Vazquez is the Business Development Manager for REDCOM Laboratories, which develops Command and Control Communication solutions. He currently lives in Canandaigua, New York, in the Finger Lakes Region, with his wife, Susan. Ozzie’s military career spans 36 years between the United States Marine Corps and the Army as a Signal Officer. He retired from his last command as a special projects officer from Joint Special Operations in 2019. He then spent the following three years as the VP of Operations at Cyviz, headquartered in Norway, building Operations Centers and collaboration rooms for the Department of Defense and Commercial Sectors. During Mr. Vazquez’s military career as a United States Marine and Army Signal Officer, he was responsible for developing solutions required to enhance collaboration and communication across multiple environments, including stateside and tactical environments. The collaboration solutions included expanding and upgrading Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, upgrading Operation Centers, redesigning Collaborative Conference rooms, building Data Centers, and developing deployable collaboration suites. In Iraq, Mr. Vazquez managed and modernized Tactical Operation Centers. As a consultant, Mr. Vazquez contributed to the standup of the Program Management Office for a $15 billion-dollar program, which included developing the processes and procedures required to manage the building of over 10 data Centers to support a network of over 800 thousand users across 1600 Navy and Marine Corps sites.

Rhega Wenske

ESSOR Programme SDR Specialist, OCCAR-EA
Rhega Wenske

 Born in Germany, Rhega Wenske spent his early adulthood in Nepal, receiving an interdisciplinary education and being an active volunteer for UNICEF. Returning to Germany, he joined the Bundeswehr as an army officer, specializing in geospatial analysis. Leaving the military service in 2012, he continued maintaining a strong relationship with the German Army as an independent consultant. 

He re-joined the Bundeswehr in 2014 as a civil servant in the armament service with an emphasis on military mobile communication solutions. Since then, he traversed the positions as the LoS TacComms Service Manager and R&T Manager within the D-LBO Programme and was the governmental representative within multiple multinational standardisation fora (NATO CaP1 LoS CaT. EDA SDR SSG, FMN TES). 
In parallel, Rhega Wenske was entrusted with the position as the national ESSOR Programme Manager. This encompassed comprehensive task such as the initial integration of Germany into the ESSOR Programme of OCCAR and related development activities, which was successfully concluded in 2019 as well as the launch of subsequent ESSOR activities as one of the 15 EDIDP pilot projects in 2021. Rhega Wenske joined OCCAR in 2021 and is currently a team member of the ESSOR Programme Division.
 

Salvador Llopis

Project Officer Communications and Information Systems , European Defence Agency
Salvador Llopis
Salvador Llopis is a Team Leader of the C4ISTAR capability programme and a Senior Project Officer on Telecommunications and Information Systems (CIS) within the Capability, Armament and Planning Directorate at the European Defence Agency (EDA) in Brussels. He chairs the Project Team CIS – a group of governmental experts from EU Member States whose mission is to assess the feasibility of cooperation activities and to harmonise military needs notably in the fields of CIS and Command and Control (C2) systems. He also chairs the working group on Data Centric Security and Zero Trust Architectures at EDA. Previously to his current position, he worked at EDA as Project Officer Cyber Defence Technology acting as moderator of the Cyber Research and Technology Working Group – precursor of today’s Cyber Defence CapTech. He graduated from the Spanish Army Military Academy as Signal Officer. He is an Academician of the Spanish Academy of Military Sciences and Arts. He holds a Doctoral Degree in Telecommunications from the Universitat Politècnica de València in Spain. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Defence and Security Technologies and programme committee member of various international scientific conferences. His professional and research interests lie in the areas of tactical communications, C2, system engineering and architectures, cyber situational awareness, and decision-support technologies. He has several referred publications in these areas. 
 

Simon Davies

CEO, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd
Simon Davies

Simon Davies is the CEO of Spectra Group (UK) Ltd, a firm specialising in providing mission-critical communications systems to governments, military forces, and private companies. Davies has a background in the British Army's Royal Signals and served for 24 years, including a stint in the UK Special Forces. Upon retiring from the army in 2004, he established Spectra Group, which has become a trusted provider of communications products and services in challenging environments. Davies has been acknowledged for his contributions, being named Battlespace Magazine's "Businessperson of the Year" in 2017 and receiving the Queen's Award for Innovation in 2019 for Spectra's tactical communications product, SlingShot.

Tim Wilkinson

Chief Technologist, Babcock International Group
Tim Wilkinson

Vincent DeLaurentis

Deputy Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Vincent DeLaurentis
Vincent DeLaurentis is the Deputy Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). He assumed this duty in April 2018, and leads CISA’s efforts to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the cyber and physical infrastructure, to include national security, emergency preparedness, and public safety emergency communications. These efforts ensure emergency communications, comprising of land mobile radio, broadband, internet-protocol, 9-1-1 networks, priority communication services and more, are interoperable, secure, and resilient. Additionally, he is CISA’s Component Requirements Executive (CRE) and representative on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Joint Requirements Council, ensuring agency capabilities mitigate operational gaps and meet mission needs and requirements. He also served as Acting Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications from September 2019 to October 2020.
 
Prior to his current role, Vince served as the first Director of the DHS’ Joint Requirements Council from October 2014 to April 2018. In this position, he connected operational requirements to the capability and acquisition needs for Department’s broad portfolio of homeland security missions, including cybersecurity, infrastructure security, emergency management, law enforcement, immigration, marine safety, air travel security, and border protection. The Joint Requirements Council is charged to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency and inform the department in managing a $140 billion budget.
 
Vince has dedicated his career to public service, including 30 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. As a senior officer of the Coast Guard Commandant’s command cadre, he led strategy development, budget formulation, operational capabilities, resource management and human resources activities in support of Coast Guard’s nearly 60,000-member workforce and $14 billion operational budget.
 
A career cutterman, he spent 13 years at sea with four Commanding Officer assignments. As the Commanding Officer of the High Endurance Cutter HAMILTON (WHEC 715) in San Diego, California, he led the U.S. Coast Guard afloat task force command for Operations Unified Response, ensuring an effective international and multi-agency humanitarian response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
 
Vince graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics, and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from George Mason University.
 

 The only event that will:

Deliver real insight from the strategic level down to the tactical. This conference will cover the importance of efficient and clear communications and how you can achieve operational success.

Learn how to create an agile, highly adaptable force capable of rapid movement whilst maintaining consistent communication and situational awareness capability, essential to the fast pace of modern warfare. And discover how interoperability is becoming increasingly important to ensure seamless command and control within a multinational coalition.

Key reasons to attend:

  • Networking opportunities
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Discover new products and solutions
  • Professional development
  • Collaboration and partnerships
  • Industry insights and trends

 

 Who should attend?

This is the ONLY truly international communications conference specifically designed to focus on deployable CIS. It is a critical forum where you will find senior officers, military commanders, and industry experts brought together to discuss interoperability and innovation in cutting-edge communications.

National militaries:
• Military communications specialists
• Equipment procurement officers

Industry:
• Businesses looking to break into the regional market
• Established players in the regional market
• Developers and innovators in military technology

Transnational/Continental/Euro-Atlantic organisations/bodies:
• Organisations who wish to equalise allied defence capability
• Those who seek improvement of the security and strength of Europe’s front line

sponsors

Conference agenda

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8:00

Registration & Coffee

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8:50

Chairman's Opening Remarks

Major General (Ret.) Bill Robins, CEO, BRL

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9:00

Preparing, Deploying, Sustaining and Recovering Information Services for Multi-Domain Operations and Exercises

Group Captain Paul Jennings, Commanding Officer, 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force

  • Overview of 90SU: core mission and capabilities
  • Deployment case studies
  • Understanding the operational requirements for deployed communication technology
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    9:45

    A Practitioners View on What Makes Comms Capability 'Deployable' and how Defence Industry May Like to Respond

    Huw Jenkins, Comms Campaign Manager, Elbit Systems U K

  •  My experience and thoughts on Resilience and what I think makes a comms system ‘Deployable’ in an operational context
  • The risks of employing innovative Technology ‘with or ahead of’ other Defence Lines of Development.  SMEs and R&D frameworks versus formal WARDEV and CONDEV
  • Useability and matching the needs of the ultimate end-user, flexibility and adaptability for whole life deployment.  ‘It just works ….and continues to work’
  • Interoperability and the need to support coalition operations…. The wider context.. the UK will need to work with partners in a whole-force context.
  • Need to share versus need to protect – Relationships with the Electromagnetic spectrum and with Cyber.
  •  
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    10:15

    Morning Coffee

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    11:00

    Resilient communications for counter explosive operations for the United Kingdom’s Technical Response Force

    Major Adrian Hosking, SO2 EOD ECM and CIS, Defence EOD and Search, British Army

  •  CIS planning for counter-chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear explosive operations
  • Multi-agency operations
  • Resilience, availability, and security
  • Exploiting emerging technologies
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    11:30

    Next Generation SlingShot - A Step Change in delivering Tactical Radio (including BLOS) Solutions to the Warfighter

    Simon Davies, CEO, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd

  • Designing a fully modular software and hardware platform with an ‘open’ approach that could facilitate ‘RaaS’ 
  • Enabling seamless integration of tactical data solutions through open API architecture. 
  • Facilitating the bridging of tactical data networks on the battlefield through efficient Satellite solutions
  • Providing the agility for the user to switch between modes including low latency LPI/LPD satcom modes to low-bandwidth/data- rich solutions.
  •  
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    12:00

    Networking Lunch

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    13:00

    Increasing Interoperability at the Tactical Edge

    Oswald Vazquez, Business Development Account Manager, REDCOM Laboratories, Inc

  •  The biggest challenge: interoperability
  • Communications must be flexible, scalable, and converge any number of disparate devices/platforms together in realtime
  • The right communications solution must operate seamlessly within austere or contested environments
  • There needs to be more thought about how zero trust gets implemented at the tactical level 
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    13:30

    Advancing Alliance C2 Capability through a Focus on the Operational Level

    Colonel Mietta Groeneveld, Director, NATO Command and Control Centre of Excellence

  • Supporting NATO, nations, and international institutions/organisations with subject matter expertise on Command and Control in the field
  • The timely deployment and establishment of the necessary command and control networks is a weakness faced by all armed forces
  •  Enabling the ability to conduct operations from distributed and dispersed locations through deployable comms advances
  • NATO C2COE Study - “The Future of the Command Post”
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    14:00

    Session Reserved for Babcock

    Tim Wilkinson

    Tim Wilkinson, Chief Technologist, Babcock International Group

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    14:30

    Afternoon Tea

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    15:15

    The Importance of Portable Satellite Communications in 2024

    Anders Ostby, Sales Manager, Satcube AB

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    15:45

    Ensuring Excellence in CIS for the Portuguese Army When Deployed

    Colonel Rui Jorge Fernandes Bettencourt, Director, Directorate of Communication and Information, Portuguese Army

  • Update on the TDCIS procurement project through the NCIA
  • C2S as an enabler: command post, mobile and low echelon use of Army C2
  •  Robust and resilient tactical DCIS – maintaining FMN compliance for deployable forces
  • GRC-525 tactical communications radio – working with EID to deliver the SDR by 2023
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    16:15

    PACE considerations for SOF missions from a BEL Point of View

    Major Jef Moonen, S6, Special Operations Regiment, Belgian Army

  •  Working with “Comms Shops”
  • Bandwidth considerations
  • Spectrum considerations
  •  EW resilience
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    16:45

    Chairman’s Closing Remarks and Close of Day One

    Major General (Ret.) Bill Robins, CEO, BRL

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    8:40

    Registration & Coffee

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    9:20

    Chairman's Opening Remarks

    Brigadier (Ret.) Neil Couch, Consultant, Cartera Limited

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    9:30

    Enhancing European Defense through Enhanced Deployable Capabilities

    Brigadier General Ray Phariss, Deputy Chief of Staff, CIO/G6, US Army Europe and Africa

  • The importance of resilience in communications on a ‘European Battlefield’
  • Interoperability in equipment, organisation, and operations when it comes to deployable communications
  • Evaluating the current deployable comms capability of the US Army in Europe: is there a gap?
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    10:00

    Keeping America Safe, Secure, and Resilient through Rapid Deployment of Emergency Communications

    Vincent DeLaurentis, Deputy Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

  • Supporting and promoting communications used by emergency responders and government officials
  • Providing training, coordination, tools, and guidance to help federal, state, local, tribal, territorial and industry partners develop their emergency communications capabilities
  • Coordinating emergency communications planning, preparation and evaluation
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    10:30

    Morning Coffee

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    11:15

    Operational Insights from the 2D Theater Signal Brigade

    Colonel Ronald Iammartino

    Colonel Ronald Iammartino, Commander, 2D Theater Signal Brigade, US Army

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    11:45

    Joint Interoperability & Data-Link Training Center: The US Military Tactical Comms Schoolhouse and Interoperability Development Partner

    Lieutenant Colonel Erik Haeuptle, Deputy Director, Interoperability & Proponency Branch Chief, Joint Interoperability & Data Link Training Center (JID-TC)

  • The JID's mission to optimize CIS standards and interoperability
  • Courses offered by the JID for partner nations and their benefits for operational effectiveness
  • JADC2: what does this mean for our partner nations? How you will integrate into a JADC2 DOD comms structure
  • Op Convergence and greater architectural coherence
  •  
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    12:15

    Networking Lunch

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    13:15

    The Essence of shaping an EU Military Persistent and Resilient C4ISTAR capability programme

    Salvador Llopis, Project Officer Communications and Information Systems , European Defence Agency

  • Towards a collaborative programme of work on C4ISTAR that pioneers innovative solutions
  • Interoperability and Resilience in Command and Control (C2) and Communications Systems
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    13:45

    Increasing Interoperability between European Forces in Deployable Communication Technology

    Rhega Wenske, ESSOR Programme SDR Specialist, OCCAR-EA

  • Providing architecture of Software Defined Radio (SDR) for military purposes and a military High Data Waveform (HDR WF) compliant with such architecture 
  • Offering the normative referential required for development and production of software radios in Europe
  • Delivering guidelines which are related to the validation and verification of waveform portability and platform re-configurability
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    14:15

    Afternoon Tea

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    15:00

    Understanding the Slovakian MoD Approach to Deployable CIS Modernisation Efforts

    Colonel Karol Trup, Head of Deployable CIS Department, CIS Branch Modernisation Division, Slovak Ministry of Defence

  •  Deployable CIS capability overview
  • Integrating CIS onto the next generation of wheeled and tracked vehicles
  • Key projects and milestones to enhance Slovakian CIS capability 
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    15:30

    Technical Development to Optimise Austrian Military Communications

  •  Assessing progress on the Data Driven Decision Making research project
  • Sensor fusion developments
  • Utilising AI enhanced MDMP
  • An overview of the cooperation between the military and a civilian university
  • Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Treiblmaier, Head of ICT Operations and Electronic Warfare Section, Austrian Armed Forces

    Major Dr Daniel Watzenig

    Major Dr Daniel Watzenig, CTO, Professor, Virtual Vehicle Research , TU Graz

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    16:00

    Chairman’s Closing Remarks and Close of Day Two

    Brigadier (Ret.) Neil Couch, Consultant, Cartera Limited


    CEO
    BRL
    Consultant
    Cartera Limited
    Deputy Chief of Staff, CIO/G6
    US Army Europe and Africa
    Commanding Officer, 90 Signals Unit
    Royal Air Force
    Director
    NATO Command and Control Centre of Excellence
    Commander
    2D Theater Signal Brigade, US Army
    Sales Manager
    Satcube AB
    Head of Deployable CIS Department, CIS Branch Modernisation Division
    Slovak Ministry of Defence
    Director, Directorate of Communication and Information
    Portuguese Army
    Comms Campaign Manager
    Elbit Systems U K
    Business Development Account Manager
    REDCOM Laboratories, Inc
    Project Officer Communications and Information Systems
    European Defence Agency
    CEO
    Spectra Group (UK) Ltd
    Chief Technologist
    Babcock International Group
    Deputy Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications
    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
    Head of ICT Operations and Electronic Warfare Section
    Austrian Armed Forces
    Deputy Director, Interoperability & Proponency Branch Chief
    Joint Interoperability & Data Link Training Center (JID-TC)
    S6
    Special Operations Regiment, Belgian Army
    SO2 EOD ECM and CIS, Defence EOD and Search
    British Army
    CTO, Professor, Virtual Vehicle Research
    TU Graz
    ESSOR Programme SDR Specialist
    OCCAR-EA

    Gold Sponsor

    Sponsors

    Exhibitors

    Speaker Interview - Scott Lee

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    Speaker Interview - Colonel Mietta Groeneveld

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    Speaker Interview - Colonel Karol Trup

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    Brochure

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Lt. Col. Lars Birkheim

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Lt Col Mike Macdonald

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Col Christian Wagner

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Captain Navy (ITA) Ettore SOCCI

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Ian Blower MBE

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Lt Col Erik Haeuptle

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    Past Speaker Presentation - Captain Dave Keegan

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    Sponsors and Exhibitors


    Elbit Systems UK

    Gold Sponsor
    https://www.elbitsystems-uk.com/

    Elbit Systems UK is an innovative Defence Technology company employing over 680 people across sixteen sites in the UK. Manufacturing and integrating advanced technology for the UK Armed Forces and our allies, our extensive portfolio provides cutting-edge capabilities for the British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force, protecting the UK at home and abroad.

    We work on a range of technologies for both military and civilian applications to meet our customer requirements. With a focus on UK sovereignty the Elbit Systems UK supply chain creates and sustains jobs around Great Britain. Utilising this established network of partners and suppliers we support the MOD as they deliver for our Armed Forces.

    Elbit Systems UK is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT), an international high technology company with a presence in dozens of countries. Elbit Systems develops and supplies a range of airborne, land and naval systems and services for Defence, homeland security and commercial applications worldwide.



    Spectra Group

    Gold Sponsor
    https://spectra-group.co.uk/

    Spectra Group is a leading global provider of Tactical and Strategic mission-critical Communications systems and winner of Queen’s Award for Enterprise for SlingShot, a "battle-winning" capability. SlingShot extends the range of tactical radios over 1000s km, enabling interoperability between Coalition and Inter-Agency personnel in all environments. SlingShot: redefining tactical communications.

    Sponsors


    Babcock

    Sponsors
    https://www.babcockinternational.com/

    Babcock plays a critical role in international defence. In a world of significant geopolitical instability, national security has never been more important as defence requirements become increasingly complex to deliver. Ensuring those critical services are readily available, affordable and long-lasting is a vital task. And Babcock is built for that task. Now more than ever, what we do matters. Creating a safe and secure world, together.



    RedCom

    Sponsors
    http://www.redcom.com

    REDCOM develops strategic and tactical communication solutions focused on interoperability and ease of use. REDCOM’s MIL-spec products are optimized for low size, weight, and power (SWaP) and are ideal for tactical and public safety deployments. Our C2 software Sigma® is fielded with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, delivering voice, video, and chat in one platform. Our latest innovation, Sigma® XRI, enables IP-RF interop and full C2 capabilities in a small form factor platform. www.redcom.com



    Satcube

    Sponsors
    https://www.satcube.com/

    Satcube is a fast-growing technology company in the satellite communications industry with a focus on developing game-changing terminals and services to enable high-speed broadband anywhere - quickly, and cost-efficiently. The European innovator employs a world-class research and development team, and actively collaborates with leading Scandinavian and European universities, as well as with ground-breaking projects sponsored by the European Space Agency and Vinnova.

    Exhibitors


    Hanwha Phasor

    Exhibitors
    https://www.hanwha-phasor.com/

    At Hanwha Phasor, we are at the forefront of pioneering enterprise-grade Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) antennas for satellite communications on the move, designed to provide seamless connectivity across air, land, and sea. Our advanced technological capabilities cater to both commercial and military clientele.

    Diverging from conventional parabolic reflectors, our flat and modular antennas are designed to conformally fit onto aircraft, response vehicles, and marine vessels. Our innovative make-before-break technology ensures uninterrupted multi-orbit connectivity from virtually any environment, all while maintaining an ultra-low profile and uncompromising performance standards. This marks a revolutionary leap forward.

    We are headquartered in the heart of London and have a second location in Cambridge, England. Join us as we embark on the journey of shaping the future of satellite communications.



    Marshall

    Exhibitors
    https://marshallaerospace.com/

    Enable, Enhance, Protect

    Marshall Land Systems specialises in the design and production of industry-leading deployable operational infrastructure through a range of standardised containerised solutions, integration of technologically advanced products and complex sub-systems to deliver across defence, renewable energy, humanitarian relief and security operations across the globe.

    There is a growing global requirement for support and engineering consultancy across many industries. We offer the full spectrum of Managed Support Services to optimise availability of Marshall and third-party assets and reduce through life support costs for projects around the globe. This support includes a full range of post design services that enables our customers to control their operations and complex supply chains with complete confidence.



    NSSLGlobal

    Exhibitors
    http://www.nsslglobal.com

    NSSLGIobaI delivers critical communications to defence users on land, at sea and in the air including for the UK MOD and many NATO countries, together with other Government Departments and Agencies. NSSLGlobal is the largest provider of commercial satcom to European militaries across L, C, Ku and Ka bands bringing together services from multiple MSS and VSAT providers to bring global choice and resilience. NSSLGlobal provides best-in-class satellite and engineering solutions using bearer agnostic baseband solutions across a variety of satcom IP bearers, LTE or any other IP platform and providing connectivity into classified defence networks via our defence approved gateways.

    With more than 50 years’ experience, NSSLGlobal provides crew and operational communications to commercial and defence users, serving over 4,000 vessels and supporting over 20,000 land users. Many of our engineers are ex-armed forces, and understand the needs of government customers, able to develop tailored solutions to meet very specific requirements. With teleports and offices globally, an R&D arm in Norway, offices throughout Europe and Headquartered in the UK, NSSLGlobal can deliver engineering support to defence users wherever it is needed.



    Thales

    Exhibitors
    https://www.thalesgroup.com/en

    Thales is a global technology leader in the defence, aerospace, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains. With its 30,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, working with customers and local partners around the world.



    Viasat

    Exhibitors
    https://www.viasat.com/defense/

    Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be securely connected. With deep roots in defense and a modern, commercial-driven mindset, we use our 35+ years of experience in breaking down communications silos to help create seamless interoperability across complex forms of connectivity: Broadband Satcom. Tactical Networking. Advanced Cybersecurity. We deliver the secure and scalable communications our partners need to operate as a successful team, whether large or small—and maximize their collective strength when it’s needed most.



    Westbase.io

    Exhibitors
    https://www.westbase.io/

    Westbase.io is a leading distributor of networking and Extended Reality (XR) technologies for defence organisations. Join us to find out how we can help you to improve your communication, education and operations. We will be presenting a range of solutions including wearable smart glass devices purpose-built for industry, and a range of fully portable 4G/5G connectivity solutions with high-compute capabilities. Discover how our technologies can help to connect your teams to the data and applications they need to make faster, smarter decisions.


    London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square

    Grosvenor Square
    London W1K 6JP
    United Kingdom

    London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square

    HOTEL BOOKING FORM

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    WHAT IS CPD?

    CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development’. It is essentially a philosophy, which maintains that in order to be effective, learning should be organised and structured. The most common definition is:

    ‘A commitment to structured skills and knowledge enhancement for Personal or Professional competence’

    CPD is a common requirement of individual membership with professional bodies and Institutes. Increasingly, employers also expect their staff to undertake regular CPD activities.

    Undertaken over a period of time, CPD ensures that educational qualifications do not become obsolete, and allows for best practice and professional standards to be upheld.

    CPD can be undertaken through a variety of learning activities including instructor led training courses, seminars and conferences, e:learning modules or structured reading.

    CPD AND PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

    There are approximately 470 institutes in the UK across all industry sectors, with a collective membership of circa 4 million professionals, and they all expect their members to undertake CPD.

    For some institutes undertaking CPD is mandatory e.g. accountancy and law, and linked to a licence to practice, for others it’s obligatory. By ensuring that their members undertake CPD, the professional bodies seek to ensure that professional standards, legislative awareness and ethical practices are maintained.

    CPD Schemes often run over the period of a year and the institutes generally provide online tools for their members to record and reflect on their CPD activities.

    TYPICAL CPD SCHEMES AND RECORDING OF CPD (CPD points and hours)

    Professional bodies and Institutes CPD schemes are either structured as ‘Input’ or ‘Output’ based.

    ‘Input’ based schemes list a precise number of CPD hours that individuals must achieve within a given time period. These schemes can also use different ‘currencies’ such as points, merits, units or credits, where an individual must accumulate the number required. These currencies are usually based on time i.e. 1 CPD point = 1 hour of learning.

    ‘Output’ based schemes are learner centred. They require individuals to set learning goals that align to professional competencies, or personal development objectives. These schemes also list different ways to achieve the learning goals e.g. training courses, seminars or e:learning, which enables an individual to complete their CPD through their preferred mode of learning.

    The majority of Input and Output based schemes actively encourage individuals to seek appropriate CPD activities independently.

    As a formal provider of CPD certified activities, SAE Media Group can provide an indication of the learning benefit gained and the typical completion. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the delegate to evaluate their learning, and record it correctly in line with their professional body’s or employers requirements.

    GLOBAL CPD

    Increasingly, international and emerging markets are ‘professionalising’ their workforces and looking to the UK to benchmark educational standards. The undertaking of CPD is now increasingly expected of any individual employed within today’s global marketplace.

    CPD Certificates

    We can provide a certificate for all our accredited events. To request a CPD certificate for a conference , workshop, master classes you have attended please email events@saemediagroup.com

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    Opening Hours: 9.00 - 17.30 (local time)
    SAE Media Group , Ground Floor, India House, 45 Curlew Street, London, SE1 2ND, United Kingdom
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