RUSI Military Technology Conference 2025

Attendees are requested to arrive at least 5 minutes before the conclusion of registration to guarantee they are seated for the start of the conference.

Keynote Speaker: Charles Forte, Enterprise Chief Information Officer, Ministry of Defence 

As tactical echelons generate their own long-range effectors and sensors saturate the battlespace, militaries are pushing to create ‘any sensor to any shooter’ connectivity. The UK’s ‘Digital Targeting Web’ embodies this vision—integrating users, systems, and platforms for greater accuracy, precision, speed, and resilience. Drawing on UK and Allied experience, panellists will discuss the technical, procedural, and organisational challenges of building sensor-to-shooter networks that are fast, flexible, and survivable in contested environments.

Speakers:

• Major General Zac Stenning OBE, Director Strategy, Cyber & Specialist Operations Command
• Major General Brett Sylvia, Special Assistant to the Director of the Army Staff, US Army 

Moderator: Matthew Savill MBE, Director of Military Sciences, RUSI

Tea, coffee and refreshments will be available for conference delegates.

The increasing use of novel and emerging technologies—especially AI—raises a number of difficult legal and ethical questions. How developers, analysts, and commanders ensure accountability and legal compliance has become more complex in an era where automated and autonomous systems comprise more battlefield functions. This panel examines how legal and ethical frameworks are being adapted, tested, and strained by militaries using emerging tech, and how militaries can responsibly navigate these rules and considerations in practice.

Speakers:

• Dr Chris Moore-Bick, Head of Defence Science and Technology Policy, Ministry of Defence
• Jessica Dorsey, Assistant Professor, Utrecht University
• Tabitha Bonney, UK Legal Adviser, Government Legal Services 

Moderator: Dr Paddy Walker, RUSI Associate Fellow

There will be a 10-minute break between sessions.

As the UK Armed Forces accelerate AI adoption, a central challenge is balancing rapid innovation with security, assurance, and dependable capability. This panel brings together government, industry, and academic experts to examine deploying AI at pace while maintaining trust, accountability, and security. Discussion will focus on risk tolerance, assurance frameworks, and AI integration across command, control, and combat systems—drawing on practical programme experience to identify what works, where challenges remain, and what must change to deliver secure, reliable AI.

Speakers:

• Dr Simona Soare, Senior Lecturer, University of Lancaster
• Seb Matthews, VP and Head of Mission Group, Adarga
• Colonel (Ret’d) Iain Lamont MBE, Strategic Partnerships Lead - European Defence, Applied Intuition 

Moderator: Anna Knack, Senior Research Associate, Alan Turing Institute 

Lunch will be provided to conference delegates

The keynote speaker for this session will be confirmed shortly

How can soldiers and machine systems fight as a cohesive team? This panel examines the realities of human–machine integration at the tactical edge. Speakers will draw on frontline experience with AI-enabled decision tools, uncrewed platforms, and robotic logistics to explore where these technologies enhance war-fighting effectiveness and where they still fall short. Discussion will focus on trust and accountability in augmented decision-making, the cognitive load on operators, and the doctrinal adjustments required to exploit machine speed while preserving human judgement. 

Speakers:

• Sergeant Serhii Oliinyk, Center of Innovations and Development of Defense Technologies, Ukraine Ministry of Defence
• Dr Mark Chattington, Technical Director for Research, Technology & Solution Innovation, Thales 

Moderator: Sam Cranny-Evans, Owner and Editor, Calibre Defence 

Tea, coffee and refreshments will be available for conference delegates

Turning innovation into capability requires more than experimentation, and with the Strategic Defence Review and the creation of UK Defence Innovation, there is now a clearer mandate to align innovation efforts with long-term force development and operational needs. This panel explores how defence can turn pilots into scalable, force-wide capabilities, highlighting the practical means for enabling rapid deployment, sustained funding, and common standards to shape the future force.

Speakers:

• Colonel Toby Till MBE, Colonel Army Training, Army Futures
• Anita Friend, Head of Defence and Security Accelerator, UK Defence Innovation
• Colonel (Ret'd) Enrique Oti, Chief Strategy Officer, Second Front Systems 

Moderator: Dr Pia Hüsch, Research Fellow, RUSI

The keynote speaker for this session will be confirmed shortly

A drinks reception will be held for all conference delegates, speakers and sponsors of the conference.