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| ITEC 2011 will be held between 10 - 12 May, 2011 in Cologne, Germany |
Senior military experts from Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States will be giving their perspectives on the contemporary training scene at the opening session of ITEC, Europe's premier conference and exhibition for military training, education and simulation technology and services. The event takes place at Koelnmesse, Cologne from 10-12 May 2011.
Known as the Senior Officers Panel, this conference session has become firmly established as an annual highlight of ITEC. Delivering the keynote address at this year's show will be Lieutenant General Karlheinz Viereck of the German Air Force, who holds the appointment of Deputy Chief of Staff, Joint Force Training, in NATO's Supreme Allied Command Transformation HQ. Facing unpredictable and volatile threats in an uncertain economic environment, delegates from international ministries and armed forces will have their concerns met by Gen Viereck's opening analysis of ‘How simulation and training can support challenges in operations in the context of fiscal pressures.'
Simulation and training plays an important role in various security and safety operations |
Gen Viereck said, ‘It is well known that technology transformed into military capability can be a force multiplier. The present military training system is in need of a paradigm change, from the current ways we operate to the technology we use, in order to realise the potential of the latest scientific developments. But there are gaps between industrial concerns (investments) and military ones (tangible results). Collaboration is the only way to make technology, the means to achieve the required transformation.'
The American perspective will be provided by Major General Stephen R. Layfield, of the US Army, who is Director J7/Joint Warfighting Center at the US Joint Forces Command in Suffolk, VA. In the past, General Layfield has served as battalion task force commander in the Former Yugoslavia, Republic of Macedonia, as well as in Bosnia-Herzegovina and later as Deputy Commander for Security, Operation Enduring Freedom, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Afghanistan. Prior to his current role, General Layfield's was Commanding General, U.S. Army Alaska (2007-2009).
As the joint training director, General Layfield's responsibility is to train forces, develop doctrine, lead training requirements analysis and provide a globally distributed and interoperable training environment to support the joint warfighter. Representing the United Kingdom is, Dr. Chris Mace CBE, who holds the position of Director Science & Technology Operations at the Ministry of Defence. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Mace was Director General Resources at the Defence Logistics Organisation and, between July 2006 and March 2007, he was closely involved in the merging of Defence Acquisition and Logistics to create the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation, becoming Chief of Staff for the Chief Defence Material in April 2007. He was appointed Director General Operations, Science and Technology in October 2007.