“It is important to highlight the work towards Achieving an Integrated Force as we continue to drive for a stronger, more competitive industry, procuring the right equipment for our people at the right price and at the right time – promoting collaboration between allies and partners as well as supporting British industry to thrive in the international exports market” – Minister for Defence Procurement, The Rt Hon Alec Shelbrooke MP
The overarching theme for the DSEI 2023 event has been announced as ‘Achieving an Integrated Force’. The UK Ministry of Defence and the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, UK Space Command, UK Strategic Command, and UK Defence and Security Exports are working to integrate at all levels and across five operational domains of Air, Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA), Land, Sea and Space.
Building on the DSEI 2021 theme of ‘Integrated Response to Future Threats’, it is evident that an integrated force can only occur through culture, a trained workforce, data and technology. In UK Strategic Command, the Digital Backbone strategy seeks to provide the authority and capacity to act as Defence’s integrator and enable multi-domain and multi-nation integration.
To achieve an integrated force, supply-chains need to be understood and strengthened, thus creating an unbreakable cohesion between military and industry. This can be accomplished by utilising the expert knowledge of the civil and private sectors to take full advantage of cutting-edge technology and skills. All of this, combined, will lead to a strategic defence force that can transition from large, centralised, unhardened infrastructure to smaller, dispersed, resilient and adaptive modules that can include both passive and active defences.
The current and future operating environment will be characterised by increasing challenges below the threshold of traditional warfare. Changing battle narratives and the increasing use of non-lethal means to influence or secure objectives mean that coercive warfare has come of age. It is a new era where challenge will be in the real, virtual and cognitive worlds; partners and allies must be prepared.
Speaking to this theme, a video exclusive featuring the highest levels of MOD and military stakeholders has been launched.
Listen here to General Patrick Sanders (Chief of the General Staff, British Army) Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton (Deputy Commander Capability, RAF) Vice Admiral Martin Connell (Second Sea Lord, Royal Navy), Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes (Deputy Commander, UK Strategic Command).
Minister for Defence Procurement, The Rt Hon Alec Shelbrooke MP, said:
“In an age of increasing global competition, DSEI 2023 will bring the key players together to ensure that we’re constantly moving forward alongside our Armed Forces and industry partners.
“It is important to highlight the work towards Achieving an Integrated Force as we continue to drive for a stronger, more competitive industry, procuring the right equipment for our people at the right price and at the right time – promoting collaboration between allies and partners as well as supporting British industry to thrive in the international exports market.”
Grant Burgham, DSEI Director, said:
“Having the theme announced for DSEI 2023 is a significant step as we look forward to the show only twelve months away. DSEI is the premier event of its kind and is crucial in bringing together the UK Government, armed forces and industry.
“For 2023, we fully expect to be back at pre-pandemic levels of attendees, with contribution from over 2,800 DSEI & DSEI Connect defence and security suppliers, and 31 international pavilions across the exhibition space. We are immensely proud of the platform we provide the international defence and security industry, enabling it to demonstrate its expertise and capabilities across a live and digital audience.”
Held biennially, DSEI connects governments, national armed forces, industry thought leaders and the global defence and security supply chain on an unrivalled scale. The event is curated to consistently support both the prime contractors as well as small and medium-sized enterprises while, crucially, giving UK exports a significant boost.
DSEI will take place at ExCeL London 12-15 September 2023.