7th Air Power Conference
On Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 May 2019, at the auditorium “First Lieutenant Nikolaos Sialmas” of the Air Force Academy at Dekeleia Air Base in Tatoi, the 7th Air Power Conference, focusing on “Airpower as a Strategic Factor in the Transition of Defense and Security” was conducted, officially launched by the Minister of Defense Mr. Evangelos Apostolakis.
The conference opened with greetings from the Chief of the HNDGS, General Christos Christodoulou and the Chief of the HAFGS, Lieutenant General Georgios Mplioumis, with additional speakers, among others, the United States Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, the Commander of the Allied AIRCOM, General Jeffrey L. Harrigian, the UN Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations, Lieutenant General Carlos Humberto Loitely, as well as the commander of the Israeli Air Force, Major General Amikam Norkin.
The conference’s speakers addressed issues that shape the present and future of airpower, covering a wide range of topics ranging from the political and diplomatic prospects of airpower, to security, research and the preparation of the Air Force for the modern world.
The conference was attended by the Leadership of the Hellenic Air Force, Senior Officers of the Armed Forces and Security Forces, members of the Academic Community, Defense Attaché’s, Distinguished Chiefs, delegations of Allied Nations and members of the Armed Forces and Security Forces.
Ten (10) emblematic artifacts from the collection of the Ancient Greek Technology Museum Kostas Kotsanas with special relevance to the conference were on display at the VIP lounge. Moreover, workshops were conducted at the auditorium’s anteroom with three specific thematic units:
- Ancient Computational Machines
- Cryptography
- Ancient Greek Strategy Games
Participants had the opportunity to interact amongst each other through an educational – entertaining workshop that functioned as a link between ancient times and today in the technological department.
Lt. General Georgios Blioumis Chief of HAFGS | General Ch. Christodoulou Chief of HNDGS | H.E. Mr Evangelos Apostolakis Minister of National Defence | H.E. Mr. Geoffrey R. Pyatt U.S. Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic |
Ambassador D. Paraskevopoulos Secretary General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs | General Jeffrey L. Harrigian Commander Allied AIRCOM | Lt. Gen. Carlos Humberto Loitely UN Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations | Major General Amikam Norkin Commander of Israeli Air Force |
Major General Jorg Lebert Commander NAEW&C Force | Rear Admiral Gilles Humeau Deputy Chief of Staff JFC Naples | Brig. General Abdel Majid Bani Melhem Head of Training Branch of Royal Jordanian Air Force | Mr. Ilias Kouskouvelis Professor of International Relations in University of Macedonia (UoM) Ex Rector of UoM |
Mr. Dirk Dubois Head of European Security and Defence College (ESDC) | Dr. Dirk Zimper Coordinator Defence Research German Aerospace Center | Dr. Henry Farrell The Elliott School George Washington University | Lt. Gen. Zacharias Gkikas HAF,Ret. Chairman of Board of Directors Hellenic Aerospace Industry |
Mr. Ioannis Papachristofilou HEAD of Marketing for Airbus Defense & Space | Mr. Jean-Claude Piccirillo Marketing & Sales Director Dassault Aviation | Major Gen. Dimitios Tsirogiannidis Director of A’ Branch HAFGS |
Lt. General Georgios Blioumis – Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff
General Christos Christodoulou – Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff
H.E. Mr. Evangelos Apostolakis – Minister of national Defence
H.E. Mr. Geoffrey R. Pyatt – U.S. Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic
Ambassador D. Paraskevopoulos – Secretary General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
General Jeffrey L. Harrigian – Commander Allied AIRCOM
Lt. Gen. Carlos Humberto Loitely – UN Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations
Major General Jorg Lebert – Commander NAEW&C Force
Rear Admiral Gilles Humeau – Deputy Chief of Staff JFC Naples
Brig. General Abdel Majid Bani Melhem – Head of Training Branch of Royal Jordanian Air Force
Mr. Dirk Dubois – Head of European Security and Defence College (ESDC)
Dr. Henry Farrell – The Elliott School George Washington University
Lt. Gen. Zacharias Gkikas – HAF,Ret. Chairman of Board of Directors Hellenic Aerospace Industry
Mr. Ioannis Papachristofilou – HEAD of Marketing for Airbus Defense & Space
Mr. Jean-Claude Piccirillo – Marketing & Sales Director Dassault Aviation
Major Gen. Dimitrios Tsirogiannidis – Director of A΄ Branch HAFGS
Lectures of 1st Day
1st Session: «Political and Diplomatic Perspective on using Air Power»
- Air Power as a Tool for Peace and Stability Q & A – H.E. Mr. Geoffrey R. Pyatt U.S. Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic
- Air Power & Diplomacy – Ambassador D. Paraskevopoulos Secretary General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2nd Session: «Preparing Air Force for Modern Warfare»
- Preparing Air Force for Modern Warfare Q & A – General Jeffrey L. Harrigian Commander Allied AIRCOM
- Air Power Challenges in 21st Century – UN Peacekeeping Operations – Lt. Gen. Carlos Humberto Loitey UN Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations
- Air Power as a Bridge to Regional Stability – Major General Amikam Norkin Commander of Israeli Air Force
- NAEW&C Platforms in Security Ops and Modern Warfare – Major General Jörg Lebert Commander NAEW&C Force
- JFC Naples Comprehensive Approach on Operations – Rear Admiral Gilles Humeau Deputy Chief of Staff JFC Naples
- Deterring Hybrid and Asymmetric Threats – Brig. General Abdel Majid Bani Melhem Head of Training Branch of Royal Jordanian Air Force
Lectures of 2nd Day
3rd Session: «Security and Defense Environment, Challenges Ahead»
- Global and regional power competition in the South-Eastern Mediterranean and the MENA region – Mr. Ilias Kouskouvelis Professor of International Relations in University of Macedonia (UoM) Ex Rector of UoM
- The EU response to Security and Defence Challenges Ahead, implications for future Air Power – Mr. Dirk Dubois Head of European Security and Defence College (ESDC)
- Speed is Life – the Disruptive Potential of Hypersonic Technologies – Dr. Dirk Zimper Coordinator Defence Research German Aerospace Center
- Europe and the New Face of Economic Warfare – Dr. Henry Farrell The Elliott School George Washington University
- 3rd Session: Q & A Panel
4th Session: «Research and Cooperation for a Safer Word»
- Harmonization of Research & Technology as a driving factor for potential Defense Aerospace Cooperation. – Lt. Gen. Zacharias Gkikas,HAF,Ret. Chairman of Board of Directors Hellenic Aerospace Industry
- Changing perspectives for Future Air Power- Mr. Ioannis Papachristofilou HEAD of Marketing for Airbus Defense & Space
- Industrial Cooperations: Perspectives for Europe – Mr. Jean-Claude Piccirillo, Marketing & Sales Director Dassault Aviation
- 4th Session: Q & A Panel
- Closing Remarks – Major General Dimitrios Tsirogiannidis Director of A΄ Branch HAFGS