The Concept Development and Experimentation (CD&E) Conference is HQ SACT and US Joint Staff's leading annual forum which provides a unique opportunity for the international CD&E community and stakeholders to discuss the most current issues of concept development and experimentation in the process of capability development.

The host nation for this year's conference is The Netherlands. The Dutch Ministry of Defence will serve as the Agent for hosting the conference in The Hague.

Location and dates:

Venue in The Hague: to be confirmed
Dates: Monday, 18th to Wednesday, 20th November 2013

Theme:

"Connected Force Development in an Uncertain World"

Objectives:

• Day 1: Create an environment conducive to information sharing and relationship building while highlighting the benefits of CD&E methodologies and practical applications in optimizing the development of joint and combined forces;
• Day 2 & partly day 3: These two days of the Conference will feature three workshops, to be led each one of them by the Netherlands Defence Staff, the US Joint Staff J-7, and the NATO HQ SACT, respectively. Obtain perspectives on ideas, discuss relevant problems and challenges, and explore potential CD&E solutions will be the main objectives;
• Day 3: Finalize the conference inputs focusing on optimizing the development of joint and combined forces.

Structure:

Monday 18th November: Key notes, CD&E processes and best practices (plenary).
Tuesday 19th November: Workshops (WS) and Limited Objective Experiment (LOE) (breakouts).
Wednesday 20th November: WS and LOE, results, conclusions and closure (breakouts and plenary).

Attendance:

The conference is focused at the Major General level and below, or the civilian equivalent. Attendance from the following fields, as applicable, is desired: CD&E, Research and Development, Science and Technology, Doctrine Development, Military Transformation, Battle Laboratories, Centres of Excellence, Academia, the Defence Industry and Subject Matter Experts based on specific workshops. Attendees can be from a NATO nation/body, a Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative nations or from specific nations who are partnering with the US Joint Staff J7, Joint and Coalition Warfighting.

Language Format:

The program, is unclassified/releasable to the public and is presented and published in English. There are no translation services available during the conference.

Registration:

Registration opening date is to be determined.

Conference presentations and other materials:

The conference presentations and other materials will be posted on the NATO CD&E Webportal after the Conference.

Registration for this Portal can be obtained here.

Conference Coordinators:

ACT Lead Planner
Lieutenant Colonel Mihaly Juhasz
SO Capability Engineering & Innovation Division
Concept Development Branch
Tel +1(757)747-3223

US Joint Staff J7 Lead Planner
Mr. Van Edelmann
Tel +1(757)203-0502