Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs and Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, the International Defence Conference (IDC) 2026, held at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, has concluded with resounding success.
Organised by ADNEC Group in association with the Ministry of Defence and the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, the conference was held Monday under the theme “Smart Horizons: Redefining Defence Through Intelligent Autonomy.”
The event attracted over 750 attendees from around the globe, with three expert-led panels exploring the opportunities and challenges that intelligent autonomous systems bring to modern battlefields.
These sessions delved into the transformative potential of these technologies while addressing the complex issues they introduce.
Participants engaged in forward-thinking discussions focused on building resilient defence ecosystems and advancing international cooperation.
Command Networks of the Future - The New Nervous System of Defence
The opening panel featured a distinguished line-up of speakers, including His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security, UAE; Brig. General Khamis Alkaabi, Capability Development Director, UAE Ministry of Defence; Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO, Technology Innovation Institute (TII); General John Nicholson (Ret.), Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Middle East, and was moderated by Hala Majeed, Director, Lockheed Martin Centre for Innovation and Security Solutions.
The session highlighted the shift in military command and control, as AI, data-driven systems and secure networks continue to redefine how decisions are made, shared and trusted, while keeping human judgment at the core.
Collectively, the panellists envisioned a future where industry, military and policymakers collaborate to build command networks that are not only technologically advanced but also grounded in trust, resilience and human expertise. They agreed that the future of command networks will be defined by intelligent, secure and resilient systems, where technology augments, but never replaces, the
The Autonomous Force - Integrating AI into Joint and Tactical Operations
The second panel discussion, titled “The Autonomous Force - Integrating AI into Joint and Tactical Operations,” brought together industry leaders and experts from the defence, aerospace and advanced technology sectors to explore how AI-powered autonomous systems are transforming the landscape of modern military operations.
Moderated by Hasan Al Hosani, CEO - Smart Solutions at Space42, the session featured VADM USN (Ret.) Bob Harward, Executive Vice President at Shield AI; Dr. Anastacia MacAllister, Technical Director for Autonomy and AI at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems; Vincent Gicquel, Chief AI Officer at Thales Emarat Technologies; and Khaled Al Zaabi, President - Platforms and Systems Cluster at EDGE.
The discussion focused on how AI-driven autonomy is rapidly transforming mission execution, collaboration and operational efficiency, emphasising its role as a force multiplier in joint tactical operations across the land, air and maritime domains.
In closing, the panellists agreed that the future of autonomous operations will depend not only on technological breakthroughs but also on building trust and fostering collaboration across the defence ecosystem to ensure effectiveness and accountability in an era of AI-enabled defence operations.
Global Autonomy Standards - Building Trust, Safety and Readiness
The final panel brought together senior representatives from regulatory authorities, transport agencies and industry, including Engineer Aqeel Ahmed Al Zarouni, Assistant Director General for Aviation Safety Affairs at the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); Dr. Abdulla Alghfeli, Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Centre; His Excellency Ahmad Ali Belqaizi, Executive Director of the Aviation Safety and Environment Sector at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Angel Martin, Systems Engineering Division Manager at ISDEFE. The session was moderated by Suha Al Dabbagh, Content Manager at ADNEC Group.
Discussions focused on the challenge of deploying autonomous technologies at a pace that often exceeds the development of regulatory and technical standards. Panellists emphasised that safety, interoperability and collaboration among partners must remain central to any framework governing autonomy. The session underscored the role of decision-makers in building trust through transparency, shared standards and international cooperation.
Closing Remarks
In his closing remarks, His Excellency Dr. Nasser Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, extended gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the gracious patronage.
“AI and autonomous systems are no longer emerging technologies. They are operational realities reshaping every domain of defence. From autonomous unmanned systems operating in contested environments to AI-enabled decision support systems processing vast intelligence datasets in real-time and predictive maintenance algorithms,” Dr. Al Nuaimi said, calling on governments, industry and research institutions to deepen partnerships, accelerate innovation and maintain their commitment to the responsible development of these critical technologies.
