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- DATE: Wed 21 October 2026
- VENUE: PVA EXPO PRAGUE | Congress Hall 1 - Entrance Hall III (1st floor)
- OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: English
- PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME
- FREE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
- Event is part of the Future Forces Exhibition & Forum 2026
Opening Strategic Leaders' Forum
Defence 2035+: Adapting to the New Security Reality
„We need trust, openness, transparency and willingness to transform in order to cooperate more effectively with the defence industry and see industry as a close partner. We all (NATO, Governments, industry) must find solution to produce more capabilities, faster, better, and cheaper.“ (NATO Secretary General at NATO-Industry Forum 2023)
Shaping Europe's Defence Beyond 2035
“Building the defence capabilities of 2035 requires more than technological superiority. It demands strategic vision, resilient industrial capacity, trusted partnerships and the ability to transform faster than emerging threats.”
The security environment of Europe and the wider Euro-Atlantic area is undergoing its most profound transformation since the end of the Cold War.
Future Forces Forum 2026 will open with a high-level strategic panel bringing together senior representatives from government, NATO, industry and Ukraine to discuss how Europe should adapt its defence and security policies to an increasingly volatile security environment.
The panel will examine the strategic consequences of the war in Ukraine, the transformation of transatlantic security, the implementation of NATO capability targets, the evolution of defence industrial cooperation and the role of disruptive technologies in shaping future military capabilities.
Drawing upon recent NATO and European strategic initiatives, the discussion will focus on one central question:
How can governments, armed forces and industry work together to build credible defence capabilities for the decade beyond 2035?
The debate reflects one of the core missions of Future Forces Forum - creating a platform where political leadership, military decision-makers, defence industry and innovation communities jointly address the future of European security.
Strategic Themes
- The discussion will focus on five interconnected strategic areas:
- The future of the transatlantic partnership and European defence policy
- Long-term capability development within NATO and national armed forces
- Lessons learned from Ukraine and their impact on future force development
- Defence industrial transformation and strategic resilience
- Emerging technologies, digital transformation and innovation
| Panel Moderator | |
| BG (Ret.) František Mičánek | Security Analyst | Executive Director, CEBES, CEVRO University |
| Invited Panelists | |
| Mr. Oliver Harry (TBC) | Director for Defence and Security Exports, Department of Business and Trade, United Kingdom |
| MG Hayrettin Koca | Vice Chief of Staff (VCOS), NATO Allied Command Transformation |
| Mr. Jakub Landovský | Director General, Defence Policy and Strategy Division, Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic |
| Mrs. Kateryna Chernohorenko | Former Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalization |
| Mrs. Kristýna Helm | Vice President for International Relations, Defence and Security Industry Association, Czech Republic |
| Mrs. Iryna Terekh | CEO, Fire Point, Ukraine |
| Dr. Ari Jónsson | President, NATO Innovation Fund |
Why This Panel Matters
The opening panel reflects the changing nature of defence planning.
Future military capability will no longer depend solely on the size of armed forces but increasingly on the ability to integrate policy, innovation, industrial production, digital technologies and operational experience into a coherent defence ecosystem.
By bringing together government representaties, NATO partners, defence industry leaders and experts with direct wartime experience, the panel provides a unique opportunity to examine how Europe can build credible, resilient and technologically advanced defence capabilities for the decades ahead.
Key Questions for Discussion
The panel will address a series of strategic questions shaping the future of European defence and security:
- How should Europe adapt its defence policy beyond 2035?
How can European nations translate strategic ambitions into credible military capabilities while maintaining strong transatlantic cooperation? - How can NATO capability targets be implemented more rapidly?
What reforms are needed to accelerate capability development, modernisation programmes and defence procurement across Allied nations? - What lessons from Ukraine will define the future force?
How have digital transformation, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and battlefield innovation changed the way future armed forces should be organised, equipped and trained? - How can governments and industry become true strategic partners?
What policy changes are required to strengthen industrial capacity, increase production resilience and accelerate the delivery of advanced defence technologies? - How can NATO and the European Union better coordinate their efforts?
How can capability planning, industrial policy and innovation programmes complement one another while avoiding duplication and increasing interoperability? - What technologies will shape the battlefield after 2035?
Which emerging technologies - including artificial intelligence, autonomy, electronic warfare, cyber capabilities and space systems—will become decisive enablers of future military operations?
What Makes this Panel Unique
- Strategic relevance – directly derived from NATO and EU strategic guidance
- Senior-level dialogue – political, military, and industrial perspectives in one room
- Battle-tested insights – lessons from Ukraine and high-intensity conflict environments
- Future-oriented – focus on capabilities, technologies, and partnerships for 2030+
- Setting the tone – the opening event framing the entire FFF 2026 programme
Who Should Attend
- Senior military officers and defence planners
- Government and ministry representatives
- Defence and security industry executives
- Innovation leaders, SMEs, and start-ups
- Academia, think-tanks, and analysts
- International partners and delegations
Key Themes you will Gain Insight into the New Security Reality
- Russia as the most significant and immediate threat to Allied security
- Return of high-intensity, long-duration conflict in Europe
Multidomain Defence
- Integration of land, air, maritime, cyber, space, and information domains
- Implications for doctrine, command, training, and interoperability
Defence Innovation & Technology
- AI, electronic warfare, space capabilities, unmanned systems
- Role of DIANA, innovation funds, and dual-use technologies
Defence Industry as a Strategic Partner
- From supplier to capability co-creator
- Faster acquisition, scalable production, wartime industrial readiness
Resilience & Society
- Critical infrastructure, energy security, cyber resilience
- Whole-of-society approach to defence
Why It Matters Now
- The next decade will define whether Europe can deter, defend, and prevail.
- Capabilities cannot be delivered without trust, openness, transparency, and genuine cooperation between governments, armed forces, and industry.
- This conference creates a shared strategic understanding and helps build the partnerships needed to deliver defence capabilities faster, better, and more efficiently.
- Join the Strategic Conversation and be part of the dialogue that Shapes Defence Beyond 2035.
