Senior U.K. military commanders and experts will debate the future of land digitization at a conference next month organized by General Dynamics [GD] UK Research Foundation and the U.K. Ministry of Defense.

The May 8 London conference will be the latest in the Whither Warfare series, and will examine progress in the delivery of network enabled capability and the introduction of modern information systems to support command and battle space management.

Britain’s armed forces are adopting powerful new technologies in the effort to improve command and fight more effectively.

Christopher Elliott, director of the Whither Warfare series, said: “U.K. Land Forces have completed the first stage of the introduction of modern information systems to support command and battlespace management. These powerful new technologies affect not only the means but also the way of command, so a continuing debate about the shape and form they should take is vital.”

The conference will consider progress to date and the way forward around three issues: Is the vision for the next stage of land digitization correct and, if not, what needs to change; if the strategic management framework has evolved to deliver evolutionary and continuous change to reach long term strategic goals; and what decisions are coming in the immediate future.

The keynote speaker is the Commander in Chief Land Forces Gen. Sir David Richards. Discussions will be mentored by retired Gen. Sir Rupert Smith and Lt. Gen. Sir Rob Fry. Guest speakers will include: Lt. Gen. Andrew Figgures, deputy chief of Defence Staff (Equipment Capability); Lt. Gen. Graeme Lamb, commander Field Army; Sandy Wilson, president and managing director, General Dynamics U.K.; Air Marshal Sir Barry Thornton, chief of Materiel (Air); Brig. James Bashall, commander 1 Mechanized Brigade; and Brig. David Meyer, director, Command Battlespace Management.

General Dynamics U.K. leads a key MoD Defence Technology Centre research consortium and, together with a growing C4I export program, plays a central role manufacturing and developing technology to deliver network enabled capability and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance in the battle space.