WELCOME TO ALLIED COMMAND TRANSFORMATION

NATO's Strategic Warfare Development Command

The 2024 International Concept Development and Experimentation Conference will take place from 29 until 31 October 2024 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN; Click here to register.

Registration ENDS October 17, 2024 12:59 PM

Since 2001, the International Concept Development and Experimentation (ICDE) Conference has been the annual forum of the Supreme Allied Command Transformation that provides a unique opportunity for the international Concept Development and Experimentation community and stakeholders to discuss the most current efforts of concept development and experimentation in the warfighting and warfare development process.

Theme:

The main theme of this year’s conference is “Synchronizing activities between military and non-military-entities in the context of Multi Domain Operations (MDO)”.

Objectives:

ICDE 2024 – main objectives

  • present current results of conceptual efforts with impact on Synchronizing Multi Domain Operation Effects;
  • build relationships and promote a networked CD&E environment that stimulates information-sharing, collaboration, inspiration and best practices;
  • identify and exploit common areas of interest, building communities that innovate with purpose and coherence;
  • engage with partners, educate on CD&E processes and interests, share best practices and lessons learned; and
  • maintain the common effort for NATO future concept development.

Agenda:

The Conference is a 3-day event, delivering a mix of plenary sessions, engaging speakers, workshops and networking opportunities.

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: Concept Development & Experimentation, 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/seminars. Attendees can be from a NATO nation/body, Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue or Istanbul Cooperation Initiative nations, or from nations partnering with the US Department of Defence.

Security Classification and Language:

The program content is not classified and is releasable to the public. It is presented and published in English; there are no translation services available during the conference.

CD&E Working Group:

As in the context of previous conferences, the CD&E Working Group as well as the COE Working Group met at the same venue one day prior to the CD&E Conference (28 October 2024).

Attendees will be able to register for the Conference and the Working Group at the same registration link.

Conference Coordinators:

 ACT Lead Planner
Commander Andrea Rigo
SO Concept Development
Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate
HQ SACT
[email protected]

Previous Conferences:

2023 International Concept Development and Experimentation (ICDE) Conference

The 2023 International Concept Development and Experimentation Conference was held from 31 October until 02 November 2023 at Norfolk, VA, USA.

Click here for the 2023 Conference Synopsis.

Since 2001, the International Concept Development and Experimentation (ICDE) Conference has been the annual forum of the Supreme Allied Command Transformation that provides a unique opportunity for the international Concept Development and Experimentation community and stakeholders to discuss the most current efforts of concept development and experimentation in the warfighting and warfare development process.

Theme:

The main theme of this year’s conference “on the path to a Multi-Domain enabled Alliance” reflected the focus on the Warfare Development Agenda and CD&E’s contribution to Alliance future orientation.

Objectives:

ICDE 2023 – main objectives

  • present current results of conceptual efforts with impact on warfighting and future warfare development.
  • build relationships and promote a networked CD&E environment that stimulates information-sharing, collaboration, inspiration and best practices.
  • identify and exploit common areas of interest, building communities that innovate with purpose and coherence.
  • engage with partners, educate on CD&E processes and interests, share best practices and lessons learned.
  • maintain the common effort for NATO future concept development.

Agenda:

The Conference was a 3-day event, delivering a mix of plenary sessions, engaging speakers, workshops and networking opportunities.

ACT Lead Planner
Commander Stefan JAKOBI
SO Concept Development
Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate
HQ SACT
[email protected]


2022 International Concept Development and Experimentation (ICDE) Conference

International Concept Development & Experimentation ConferenceThe in-person event took place from 25 until 27 October 2022 at the Marriott Hotel in Budapest; the Hungarian Defence Forces Command hosted the event.

Since 2001, the International Concept Development and Experimentation Conference has been Allied Command Transformation’s annual forum that provides a unique opportunity for the international Concept Development and Experimentation community and stakeholders to discuss the most current issues of concept development and experimentation.

After virtual editions in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the conference setting not only provided interesting topics and discussion, but many opportunities to reconnect and collaborate in a great setting.

Theme:

The 2022 International Concept Development and Experimentation Conference focused on how Concept Development and Experimentation contributes to the Alliance Warfare Development Agenda. Highlights included keynote addresses, interactive panel discussions, and the ‘CD&E Exchange’, a mini-expo promoting Concept Development and Experimentation initiatives.

While informing through these plenary sessions, the Conference was product/output oriented through workshops in support of ongoing projects connected to its theme.

Main Objectives:

  • Revitalize collaborative exchange within the Concept Development and Experimentation community of interest after two years of virtual conferencing;
  • Build relationships and promote a networked Concept Development and Experimentation environment that stimulates information-sharing, collaboration, inspiration and best practices;
  • Identify and exploit common areas of interest, building communities that innovate with purpose and coherence;
  • Engage with partners, educate on Concept Development and Experimentation processes and interests, share best practices and lessons learned;
  • Further thinking and contribute to Warfare Development Agenda and NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept deliverables.

Concept Development and Experimentation Conference

Agenda:

The Conference was a 3-day event, delivering a mix of plenary and panel sessions, engaging speakers, workshops and networking opportunities.

Conference Lead Planner:

Lieutenant Colonel Guy DE DECKER
Staff Officer Concept Development, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate

[email protected]

Panel Discussion 2 CDE Tools & Instruments Audacious Wargaming
The Nato Perspective & Future Workshop Outcomes Panel Discussion
2022 International CD&E Conference Illustrations 2022 International CD&E Conference Illustrations The 2022 IDCE Conference Budapest

2020 International CD&E Conference:

The conference took place from 26-29 October 2020. Originally planned as a 20th Anniversary event in Paris, due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Conference was changed to a virtual event. In the spirit of CD&E, the event was a bold experiment in exploiting the virtual format to the fullest.

Conference Synopsis ICDE Conference Fact Sheet CDE Exchange Fact Sheet
Conference Synopsis ICDE Conference Fact Sheet CDE Exchange Fact Sheet

2019 International CD&E Conference:

The 2019 International Concept Development and Experimentation Conference took place in Madrid, Spain, 29-31 October 2019. The photos and conference reports can be found below.

2019 Conference Report.

2018 Conference Executive Summary.

2017 Conference Report.