ST Conference Preview

Undersea Defence Technology Europe 2011

Since the last Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) exhibition and conference took place in Hamburg, Germany, in June 2010, the global defense industry has continued to transform as nations reconcile squeezed defense budgets with the need to counter a diversity of threats to their maritime security. The sea remains an important artery of world trade, while the protection of assets such as ports and energy installations is high on the agenda of many countries. These are just a few of the issues that will be discussed at UDT Europe 2011, which will take place June 7 to 9 in London, England, at the ExCeL London exhibition and conference center.

Now in its 24th year, UDT is Europe’s only dedicated undersea defense technology conference and exhibition, bringing together naval procurement specialists, defense scientists and technology providers for three days of discussion, networking and the examination of new technology. Organizers said the event will demonstrate current research and development while showing the ways in which militaries are working to become more technologically advanced than their counterparts.


Conference Agenda
The four main themes of the conference are submarine warfare, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures and harbor and port security.

UDT conference organizers said they have expanded the exhibition agenda to cover the future of global underwater security threats and its relation to present and future naval capability requirements. The conference will also look at future technologies and new methods of utilizing existing underwater platforms.

This year’s keynote speaker is RAdm. Amjad Hussain, director (precision attack) and controller of the British navy. His prior jobs have ranged from inspecting fishing catches in the North Sea to being the weapon engineer officer of an aircraft carrier in the gulf, from seeing a ship through its last commission to getting a new first-of-class vessel ready for operations.


Waterside Demonstrations
UDT organizers plan to take advantage of the ExCeL London’s waterside location by staging waterborne demonstrations throughout the show. This is the first year UDT will feature such a program, which will take place on the 800-meter dockside adjacent to the exhibition hall. The demonstrations will let visitors see the latest technological developments in their intended environment, organizers said.

Other features at the show include the Innovation Showcase, where exhibiting companies can present their solutions to UDT attendees on the show floor. A 7.5-meter-diameter demonstration tank situated on the exhibition floor will be used as a platform for smaller waterborne demonstrations of everything from diving equipment to unmanned underwater vehicles.

Industry associations involved with the event include ADS Maritime and the Society of Underwater Technology.

For more information on UDT Europe 2011, visit www.udt-europe.com.


Exhibitors List
The following list of exhibitors was updated at press time:

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