For the 2026 Aerospace Test & Development Show, we introduced the brand new Defence Testing Forum covering all aspects of testing and evaluation of military aircraft and equipment, from R&D through to certification and operations. The Defence Testing Forum hosted discussions about the latest technologies, processes and regulations for all areas, from autonomy and unmanned aerial systems to fighter jets and laser energy weapons, including crossover products and services between civilian and military.
10:35
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5 mins
10:40
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20 minsFlight testing drones for defence isn't trivial. It needs to solve a conundrum: develop a warbird that will fly according to military rules in a war zone, but in the meantime, stick to regulations. No ...
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11:00
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20 minsChris will provide an overview of Amentum's critical role in supporting the UK Hypersonics Technology Capability Development programme. He will delve into the management of the Systems Engineering Des ...
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11:20
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20 mins
Our Air Forces are longing for operational capabilities, which require increasing speeds of adaptability to a faster evolving threat environment.
Solutions of those ambitions can be derived through:
- System of System concepts delivering operational capability through combinations of different weapon systems,
- Unmanned Systems with faster development cycles than manned weapon systems
- Software driven functionalities in the area of autonomy and AI enabled functions. Driven by a Hardware and Software Segregation.
Testing those individual Solutions will require new approaches extending our capabilities of testing single, manned weapon systems. Live, Virtual and Constructive setups will be essential to allow testing of full performance critieria, likewise simulation and digital verification tools will be changing the way we are testing our products prior releasing them to our customers. The Presentation will reflect on the linkage between Operational Needs, Product solutions and related Test & Verification needs.
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11:40
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20 mins
Jeremy will highlight how the company’s aeronautical expertise, industrial agility, and innovation-driven approach can support the evolving needs of the defence sector. The session will focus on modern, scalable, and responsible aviation platforms designed to strengthen sovereignty, operational performance, and technological transformation.
12:00
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20 minsAs development cycles shrink, aerospace and defence testing faces three critical challenges: measuring extreme shock events that destroy contact sensors, testing ultra-lightweight structures without m ...
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12:20
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20 minsTraditionally, acquisition of flight test data requires extensive fit-out of sensors, data acquisition units, integration with aircraft power and avionics systems and associated cabling and bracketry. ...
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12:40
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20 mins
The Leonardo Innovation Hub is at the “heart” of innovation for Leonardo’s group. It is a network of multi-disciplinary research and development experts interconnecting together to ensure a pioneering technological acceleration of Leonardo’s Industrial competitiveness. The technological areas are focusing on Quantum Technologies, Optronics, Advanced Materials, Robotics, Autonomous Systems and Advanced Power & Energy Systems. The focus of Leonardo’s Innovation Hub is to develop next-generation solutions for both civil and defence applications. Evanthia will present an overview on the set of R&D achievements in the field of defence applications.
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13:00
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20 mins
A case study on MDS's development of a new multi axis thrust measurement system for testing next generation gas turbine engines with vectored thrust for defence applications. The technology also has applications for the development of eVTOL aircraft.
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13:20
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20 minsFlight test and hardware-in-the-loop programs have historically relied on manual, fragmented workflows to review telemetry data. Engineers move between disconnected tools, reconstruct context after ea ...
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13:40
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30 minsAs part of the Norwegian Search and Rescue contract for the AW101 Leonardo helicopters were contracted to conduct a Performance Improvement Programme. This Programme employed a Joint Test Team constr ...
14:10
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50 minsAdditional panellists to be confirmed
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15:00
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20 minsDefence aircraft validation is challenged by increasingly complex airframes, demanding mission profiles and harsh operational environments, all under tight development schedules. Physical testing rema ...
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