Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are the leading killer of U.S. and allied troops in battlefields within southwest Asia. As the #1 priority to many of the Services’ top officials, the Department of Defense (DoD) has continued their funneling of billions of dollars towards solutions to stem these instruments of terror. However, stopping this threat has proved to be an enormously daunting task as insurgents have been able to continually adjust and adapt to coalition efforts to counter these highly lethal devices. This evolving threat has led counter IED forces around the world to adopt a holistic approach to thwarting these makeshift bombs — from disrupting the explosives themselves, to training soldiers, to attacking the very network that supplies the components before these items are assembled and emplaced. Further validating IEDs as the terrorist weapon of choice in the foreseeable future, IED attacks outside of Iraq and Afghanistan have climbed to an average of 300 per month. What is the next step?
This comprehensive conference will examine the various challenges and hurdles that lie ahead in addressing this evolving task and also identify the most critical needs and requirements for future counter-IED development.
* What are DoD and the Services’ future plans for countermeasure development?
* How are different government organizations dealing with the IED threat in the homeland?
* How do we key on attacking the network?
* What are the various challenges in engaging different types of IEDs including vehicle-borne, person-borne, command-wire, remote-controlled, victim-operated, etc.?
* What are the latest advancements in IED standoff detection and neutralization?
These and many more issues will be addressed in this outstanding event.
Our Panel of Prominent Experts:
Maj. Gen. Ken Israel, USAF (Ret) - Vice President, Military Support, Lockheed Martin IS&GS
Rear Admiral Mike Tillotson - USN Deputy Director, Operations Directorate, U.S. Central Command
Mr. Kenneth Comer - Director, Counter-IED Operations Research and Systems Analysis, JIEDDO[invited]
Mr. Jeffrey Rapp - Director, Joint Intelligence Task Force - Combating Terrorism, DIA
Mr. Jeffrey David - Director, Technology, CTTSO, ASD/SOLIC&IC, OUSD(P)
Mr. Jim Slavin - Director, Joint Training Counter-IED Operations Integration Center, Army TRADOC
Colonel Dick A. Larry - USA Chief, ANTS Division, Army Asymmetric Warfare Office (AWO)
Mr. Chris O’Donnell - Head, Acquisition and Technology Department, NAVEODTECHDIV, NAVSEA
Lt. Colonel Jim Mead - USMC Deputy Director, USMC IED Working Group, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL)
Lt. Colonel Ed Mason USAF (ret) - Program Manager, Air Force Irregular Warfare/IED Defeat Program Office
Mr. Charlie Payne - Chief, Office for Bombing Prevention, Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Mr. Stan DeFisher - Mechanical Engineer, Combined Effects Warheads Branch, U.S. Army ARDEC
Dr. John Borsi - Office of Air Force Studies & Analyses, Assessments & Lessons Learned, HQ USAF
Dr. Regina E. Dugan - President and CEO, RedXDefense
Mr. Mark Edwards - Executive Vice President, Development, Force Protection Industries, Inc.
Mr. Paul H. Mueller - Vice President, Force Protection Systems, Electronic Systems Value Center, ITT
Mr. Bob Quinn - Vice President, TALON Operations, Technology Solutions, QinetiQ North America
Mr. Brian Hart - Co-founder, Black-I Robotics
Mr. Steven White - President and CEO, Industrial Electronic Engineers
Mr. Walter Purdy - Vice President, Training and Special Products, Terrorism Research Center
Mr. Wayne Norris - Chief Scientist, BOSSdev, Inc.
Dr. Stephie Althouse - Director, Product Development, U.S. Semiconductor Corporation
Mr. Hector Robert - Manager, Product Development, GE Security
