The main purpose of the Defence and Strategy Conference (DAS 2019) is to follow up the successful outcome and pattern of a fruitful exchange of views and experience among policy makers, defence and capability planners and scholars in previous years.
Our ambition for DAS 2019 is to address mainly topics related to the
Armed Forces development.
The success of long-term adaptation of Armed Forces to the dynamics in the strategic environment is a fundamental precondition for strengthening the defence of the North Atlantic community. In the wake of rapidly changing security landscape, the political prerogative became credible and sustainable defence and enhanced readiness and preparedness of our Armed Forces.
On the international stage, NATO Heads of States and Governments at NATO Summits in Wales, Warsaw and Brussels confirmed this trajectory. After more than a decade of focus on Crisis Management, NATO is rebalancing its focus on Collective Defence and Cooperative Security. This rebalancing between the three NATO core tasks amplifies the challenge to maintain an advantage over a larger scope of potential adversaries in the future. In this context, from a military perspective, the rapid evolution of our strategic environment and the growing challenges to the Alliance's technological edge both compel us to change our current mindset and the ways we generate strategic military effects.
Additionally, the member states of European Union also seek a higher level of integration in the area of defence, which has been – traditionally – national domain. The objective in this endeavour is to enhance European Union strategic autonomy via strengthening defence capability.
Above-mentioned political considerations and priorities call for agile military thinking in order to keep Armed Forces fit for purpose in long-term perspective. Defence planners should seek a higher level of innovation; apply novel approaches; develop disruptive concepts; implement efficient and effective ways of training, and reconsider new business models to meet the future defence and security challenges. Moreover, in times of budget decrease and flourishing technological innovation in the civilian market, a growing number of nations are taking the option of massively leveraging innovation to fill the gap between ambition and capability of their Armed Forces.
The DAS 2019 offers a unique and challenging programme carefully designed to allow the fruitful exchange of valuable lessons related to Armed Forces adaptation, identification of best practices on the formulation of relevant strategies for Armed Forces development and related use of verified methods and analytical instruments.
Additionally, you may participate in
an
informal workshop on best practice on Armed Forces development strategy hold on 30MAY2019 together with experts from the Centre for Security and Military Strategic Studies (CSMSS), separate programme will be circulated in due time.
Furthermore, by participating in the DAS 2019, you will also have the opportunity to visit IDET 2019, International Fair of Defence and Security Technology (free of charge). It is one of the biggest shows of defence technology in Central and Eastern Europe.
Finally, we would also encourage you to actively contribute to the
Seminar on Military Art and Force Development organized from 27 to 31 May 2019. Participants are officers from the Staff Officers Course organized by the CSMSS and augmented by several students from neighboring countries. Your involvement in this activity will be subject of the individual arrangement based on your interest and preferences.
Our intent is to involve as many of you as possible to this activities to make maximum use of your expertise while resting in Brno.
