What is the primary focus of ICMT 2027?

The primary focus is on advancements in military technologies, providing a platform for experts to discuss and collaborate on evolving defense capabilities.

International Conference on Military Technologies 2027 (ICMT 2027)

Name: International Conference on Military Technologies 2027 (ICMT 2027)
Start: 2027-05-25T00:00:00Z
End: 2027-05-28T00:00:00Z
Location: Brno

May 25–28, 2027Brno, CzechiaIn-person

Registration open

The International Conference on Military Technologies 2027 (ICMT 2027) will convene in Brno, CZE, offering a platform for discourse on advancements in military technology. This event serves as a critical forum for experts, researchers, and practitioners to exchange insights and foster collaboration on the evolving landscape of defense capabilities. The conference is structured to facilitate in-depth discussions across various specialized tracks, reflecting the multifaceted nature of modern military innovation.

Committees & topics

Topics
Weapon Systems: Modernization, Precision, and Emerging Lethality · Air Force, Aerospace and Avionics · Radar Systems and Air Defence · Military Cybernetics, Communications and Information Technology · Geospatial and Meteorological Support to Military Operations · Special and Combat Vehicles · Military Engineering

Why it matters

The continuous evolution of military technologies presents both opportunities and challenges for international security and strategic stability. Events like ICMT 2027 are crucial for understanding these developments, particularly in an era marked by rapid technological advancements and shifting geopolitical dynamics. The discussions held here can influence national defense policies, international arms control dialogues, and the ethical considerations surrounding new forms of warfare.

The insights shared at ICMT 2027 are particularly relevant for policymakers and military strategists seeking to adapt to emerging threats and leverage technological advantages responsibly. The conference's focus on various technological domains underscores the comprehensive approach required to maintain a competitive edge while upholding international norms and preventing escalation. The outcomes of such gatherings can inform global conversations on topics ranging from cyber warfare to autonomous systems, shaping the future of defense and security.

How to prepare

Delegates preparing for ICMT 2027 should engage in thorough research on the latest developments in military technologies, particularly those relevant to their specific areas of interest. Understanding the current geopolitical context and the strategic implications of technological advancements will be key to effective participation. Reviewing past conference proceedings and publications from leading defense research institutions can provide valuable background.

Consider how different national perspectives might shape discussions on technology adoption and regulation. For instance, countries like USA, CHN, and RUS, with significant defense industries, will likely approach these topics from a different angle than smaller nations or those with more restrictive defense policies. Delegates should also be prepared to discuss the ethical dimensions of military technology, including the implications of Autonomous Weapon Systems and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in warfare. Familiarity with stakeholder mapping and dynamic analysis can aid in understanding the complex interplay of actors and forces at play.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Czech Republic

As the host nation, CZE is positioned to facilitate international dialogue on military technologies, showcasing its own defense industry and research capabilities.

Role in topic

CZE hosts the conference in Brno, providing a neutral ground for discussions on military technology. Its role is primarily facilitative, but it also uses the platform to highlight its contributions to defense innovation and its commitment to international security cooperation.

United States

USA will likely advocate for advanced technological integration in defense, emphasizing innovation and strategic superiority.

Role in topic

USA is a global leader in military technology and research. Its representatives will likely present on cutting-edge advancements, discuss strategic implications of new technologies, and advocate for international cooperation in defense R&D, while also addressing concerns about technological proliferation.

China

CHN will focus on its rapid advancements in military technology, emphasizing self-reliance and strategic modernization.

Role in topic

CHN has made significant strides in modernizing its military and developing advanced technologies. Its participation will likely highlight its indigenous capabilities in areas such as AI, cyber warfare, and aerospace, while also seeking to understand global trends and potential areas for collaboration or competition.

Russia

RUS will emphasize its established military-industrial complex and ongoing modernization efforts, particularly in strategic defense systems.

Role in topic

RUS maintains a strong military-industrial base and is actively engaged in modernizing its armed forces. Its representatives will likely focus on developments in areas such as hypersonic weapons, electronic warfare, and air defense systems, and may also discuss the strategic balance implications of new technologies.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Weapon Systems: Modernization, Precision, and Emerging Lethality

Modern weapon systems have evolved rapidly since the end of the Cold War, shifting from mass-produced kinetic platforms toward networked, precision-guided, and increasingly autonomous capabilities. The proliferation of guided munitions, loitering munitions (notably demonstrated in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 and the war in Ukraine since 2022), and stand-off systems has reshaped land and naval combat doctrines. Concurrently, hypersonic glide vehicles fielded or tested by Russia, China, and the United States are pressuring existing missile defense architectures and arms control frameworks such as the now-lapsed INF Treaty. The core technical and policy debate concerns the integration of artificial intelligence and autonomy into targeting cycles, the dual-use nature of commercial components (notably small UAVs and additive manufacturing), and the erosion of warning time created by hypersonic and very-low-observable weapons. The UN Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), operating under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, has yet to produce a binding instrument, and major producers remain divided on whether meaningful human control should be codified in international law. Today, ICMT delegates must weigh export controls, interoperability among allied forces, the lessons of contemporary high-intensity warfare, and the technical feasibility of verification regimes for next-generation weapon systems.

Key players

Air Force, Aerospace and Avionics

Air power doctrine has been transformed by the maturation of fifth-generation fighters (F-35, Su-57, J-20), the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems, and the increasing centrality of avionics, sensor fusion, and electronic warfare suites over raw airframe performance. Programs such as the U.S. Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), Europe's Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), and China's sixth-generation efforts envisage manned platforms operating alongside autonomous 'loyal wingman' drones in collaborative combat formations. The war in Ukraine has underscored both the difficulty of achieving air superiority against dense integrated air defenses and the decisive role of airborne ISR, electronic warfare, and stand-off munitions. Civil-military convergence in aerospace — satellite constellations, dual-use propulsion, and commercial avionics — has accelerated capability diffusion while complicating export control regimes such as the Wassenaar Arrangement and MTCR. For ICMT, the central technical questions concern man-machine teaming, open-architecture avionics, low-observable design trade-offs, sustainment of complex air fleets, and the integration of space-based assets into the air operations cycle.

Key players

Radar Systems and Air Defence

Integrated air and missile defense has returned to the forefront of military planning as cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and mass drone attacks have demonstrated the limits of legacy single-layer systems. The performance of Patriot, IRIS-T, NASAMS, and S-400 batteries in Ukraine, and of Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow against Iranian and Houthi salvos, has driven a reassessment of magazine depth, cost-per-intercept economics, and sensor coverage gaps. Technologically, the field is shifting toward Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) and Gallium Nitride radars, distributed and passive sensing, multi-static networks, and integration with space-based early warning. Counter-UAS has become a distinct discipline, combining radar, RF detection, electro-optical sensors, and increasingly directed-energy and electronic-attack effectors. The collapse of the ABM Treaty regime and the lapse of the INF Treaty have removed prior constraints on defensive deployments, contributing to renewed strategic friction with Russia and China. Delegates at ICMT will consider interoperability of allied air defence networks, the radar–stealth competition, layered defence architectures against mixed threats, and the affordability of sustained high-tempo air defence operations.

Key players

Military Cybernetics, Communications and Information Technology

Military operations are now inseparable from the cyber and information domains. NATO formally recognized cyberspace as an operational domain in 2016, and major powers have stood up dedicated cyber commands. State and state-aligned operations — from NotPetya (2017) to sustained campaigns against Ukrainian infrastructure since 2022 — have demonstrated that cyber effects can cause strategic, cross-border damage even short of armed conflict. In parallel, the war in Ukraine has shown the decisive role of resilient tactical communications, commercial satcom (notably Starlink), and software-defined radios. Key technical themes include zero-trust architectures, post-quantum cryptography, AI-enabled cyber defence and offence, secure 5G/6G for tactical edge networks, and the integration of joint all-domain command and control (JADC2-type) concepts. Governance debates at the UN — through the Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs and the GGE — continue to dispute how international law, including the UN Charter and IHL, applies to cyberspace, and whether new norms or binding rules are needed. ICMT delegates must address interoperability of allied C4ISR, supply-chain security for semiconductors and software, the militarization of commercial satellite communications, and thresholds for cyber operations under international law.

Key players

Geospatial and Meteorological Support to Military Operations

Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) and military meteorology underpin virtually every modern operation, from precision strike and amphibious landings to UAV flight planning and missile trajectory calculation. The proliferation of commercial Earth observation — including very-high-resolution optical, SAR (Capella, ICEYE), and persistent monitoring constellations (Planet, BlackSky, Maxar) — has democratized strategic-level imagery, as vividly demonstrated by open-source tracking of Russian force movements before and during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, dependence on GNSS (GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, GLONASS) has created vulnerabilities exploited through jamming and spoofing across multiple theatres, prompting investment in alternative PNT, inertial navigation, and celestial systems. Climate change is also reshaping operational environments: thawing Arctic sea ice, more extreme weather, and changing hydrography are altering both the geography of competition and the demands on military meteorological services. ICMT will examine the integration of commercial and military geospatial data, AI-driven analysis of overhead imagery, resilient PNT, numerical weather prediction for high-resolution tactical use, and cooperation through bodies such as the WMO and national GEOINT agencies.

Key players

Special and Combat Vehicles

Armoured and combat vehicles have undergone a sharp re-evaluation in light of recent conflicts. The vulnerability of main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to top-attack ATGMs (Javelin, NLAW), loitering munitions, and FPV drones in Ukraine has driven renewed interest in active protection systems (Trophy, Iron Fist, Arena-M), modular armour, and unmanned ground vehicles. Programs such as the U.S. M10 Booker and XM30, Germany's Leopard 2A8 and Puma upgrades, the Franco-German MGCS, Russia's T-14 Armata (with limited fielding), and China's Type 99/100 series illustrate divergent national approaches to the future of armoured warfare. Beyond main combat platforms, special vehicles — engineering, CBRN reconnaissance, electronic warfare, bridging, and logistics — are increasingly recognized as decisive enablers, particularly in contested logistics environments. Hybrid and electric drive, autonomy for convoys and 'wingman' UGVs, and signature management are central R&D themes. ICMT delegates will consider survivability against drone-saturated battlefields, the trade-offs between weight, protection, and strategic mobility, industrial base capacity to replace combat losses, and the legal and doctrinal status of armed unmanned ground systems.

Key players

Military Engineering

Military engineering — encompassing combat engineering, fortification, bridging, mine warfare, EOD, and infrastructure — has regained prominence as conflicts have returned to attritional, terrain-shaped patterns. The extensive use of minefields, anti-tank ditches, and the 'Surovikin Line' in Ukraine, as well as the engineering challenges of subterranean warfare in Gaza, have reminded planners that mobility, counter-mobility, and survivability tasks remain decisive even in a high-technology environment. Contemporary military engineering integrates traditional disciplines with robotics (route clearance UGVs, robotic breaching), additive manufacturing for forward repair, advanced materials, and rapid runway and port repair to support distributed operations. Humanitarian dimensions remain significant: the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (1997) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008) continue to shape state practice, even as several major powers remain outside these regimes and as new contamination is generated by ongoing conflicts. ICMT will examine engineering support to large-scale combat operations, dual-use infrastructure resilience, demining and explosive remnants of war, climate-adaptive basing, and the integration of autonomous systems into engineering tasks.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for International Conference on Military Technologies 2027 (ICMT 2027).

Recent reporting to ground your prep

Mejia vs. Hathaway

Japan's Dilemma Over Hormuz Mine Clearance

North Korea's Nuclear Navy Ambitions

CBI Investigates Ex-DSP for Illicit Wealth

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

By committee

Frequently asked questions

International Conference on Military Technologies 2027 (ICMT 2027)

May 25–28, 2027Brno, CzechiaIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Weapon Systems: Modernization, Precision, and Emerging Lethality · Air Force, Aerospace and Avionics · Radar Systems and Air Defence · Military Cybernetics, Communications and Information Technology · Geospatial and Meteorological Support to Military Operations · Special and Combat Vehicles · Military Engineering

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Czech Republic

As the host nation, CZE is positioned to facilitate international dialogue on military technologies, showcasing its own defense industry and research capabilities.

Role in topic

United States

USA will likely advocate for advanced technological integration in defense, emphasizing innovation and strategic superiority.

Role in topic

China

CHN will focus on its rapid advancements in military technology, emphasizing self-reliance and strategic modernization.

Role in topic

Russia

RUS will emphasize its established military-industrial complex and ongoing modernization efforts, particularly in strategic defense systems.

Role in topic

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Weapon Systems: Modernization, Precision, and Emerging Lethality

Key players

Air Force, Aerospace and Avionics

Key players

Radar Systems and Air Defence

Key players

Military Cybernetics, Communications and Information Technology

Key players

Geospatial and Meteorological Support to Military Operations

Key players

Special and Combat Vehicles

Key players

Military Engineering

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for International Conference on Military Technologies 2027 (ICMT 2027).

Recent reporting to ground your prep

Mejia vs. Hathaway

Japan's Dilemma Over Hormuz Mine Clearance

North Korea's Nuclear Navy Ambitions

CBI Investigates Ex-DSP for Illicit Wealth

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

By committee

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

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Frequently asked questions

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

Studentská politologická konference 2026

PRCP Annual Conference 2026

Transatlantic Choices: The US Perspective

Czechia-Germany Cooperation and European Security Panel Discussion

56th UACES Annual Conference

UACES 56th Annual Conference 2026

Frequently asked questions