Upcoming events radar 25 October 2026

Seven additions and actionable updates

Defence and aviation organisations are increasingly involving suppliers before procurement requirements are finalised. That creates opportunities for SMEs, but only if they identify the right consultations and respond before the deadlines.

Today's review identifies seven worthwhile additions or developments: two previously unreported NATO industry consultations, a significant European aviation deployment milestone, specialist aerospace and space events, and a US defence conference with direct access to acquisition programme managers.

eXplore Future ATM: SESAR NATICA Webinar — 29 October 2026 | Online — NEW TO RADAR

Organizer: SESAR Joint Undertaking, with Frequentis, DFS and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

The webinar examines NATICA, a European research project developing the architecture for future air traffic management systems.

Three subjects are particularly relevant: replacing monolithic ATM systems with modular cloud-native architectures; sharing aircraft trajectories seamlessly between national air traffic control systems; and introducing AI-supported digital controllers capable of assisting human controllers with operational decisions.

The programme also examines cybersecurity, resilience, interoperability and the transition from existing coordination protocols towards SWIM-based service interfaces.

Registration is open. The organiser lists the event on 29 October, although its general event listing displays a broad 09:00–17:00 window rather than a confirmed webinar session duration. Individual speakers have not been identified on the event page. SESAR Joint Undertaking

ExecFrontline member relevance: VERY HIGH — ATM suppliers, aerospace software companies, AI developers, systems integrators, engineering, cybersecurity, procurement and programme managers.

The important question is how independently developed software services can become part of safety-critical operational infrastructure. This creates challenges involving interfaces, intellectual property, certification, cybersecurity and responsibility when systems fail.

Official NATICA webinar and registration

ICAO Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference — 16–20 November 2026 | Montréal, Canada — NEW TO RADAR

Organizer: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The conference brings together senior government representatives and international aviation organisations to examine the economic and regulatory foundations of global air transport.

Its programme addresses airline market access, economic regulation, workforce and supply-chain resilience, consumer protection, aviation infrastructure investment and financing models.

A particularly relevant subject is the use of blended finance to mobilise investment in civil aviation infrastructure.

The conference will also examine how regulatory frameworks should adapt to new technologies and changing aviation business models.

Participation restriction: General registration is limited to invited participants. Companies may still explore official exhibition and sponsorship opportunities. Individual speakers are not yet identified in the event overview. ICAO

ExecFrontline member relevance: VERY HIGH — airlines, airports, lessors, investors, aviation infrastructure companies, finance, commercial management, procurement and regulatory specialists.

The conference is worth monitoring because changes to economic regulation and infrastructure financing can influence airline profitability, aircraft investment, airport development and commercial contracting.

ICAO ATConf/7 — Official programme and participation information

NATO Edge 26 — 17–19 November 2026 | İzmir, Türkiye — TWO ADDITIONAL PROCUREMENT CONSULTATIONS IDENTIFIED

Organizer: NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA).

IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE EXISTING RADAR: Beyond the four consultations reported on 24 October, two further NATO Edge industry workshops have been identified.

NCI Academy — Shaping Future Learning and Training. NCIA is seeking industry input on scaling training development, digital learning and adoption of new NATO capabilities. The consultation challenges industry to propose practical approaches rather than simply demonstrate compliance with predetermined specifications.

Response deadline: 2 November 2026. Reference: RFI-07803-ACAD. The notice was published on 12 October. NATO C&I Agency

Official NCI Academy industry consultation

NATO Integrated Cyber Defence Centre — Urgent Requirement Project. NCIA is conducting market research for the technology pillar of NATO's Integrated Cyber Defence Centre.

The consultation will support a dedicated NATO Edge workshop examining potential industry solutions for the future acquisition.

Response deadline: 9 November 2026. Reference: RFI-42630696-NICC. The notice was published on 16 October. NATO C&I Agency

Official NATO Integrated Cyber Defence Centre consultation

Both are pre-competitive market consultations, not contract awards or formal invitations to tender. The published notices do not identify workshop speakers or contract values.

ExecFrontline member relevance: EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH — defence SMEs, startups, training and simulation companies, cybersecurity suppliers, systems integrators, procurement, contracts and programme management.

The NCI Academy consultation is particularly interesting because training is often treated as something delivered after equipment acquisition. In reality, operational readiness depends on training development, digital adoption and support being designed into capability programmes from the beginning.

The cyber defence consultation raises related questions about multinational integration, security accreditation, intellectual property, service continuity and contractual responsibility.

Immediate action: Companies interested in NATO training and digital learning should review the NCI Academy consultation before 2 November. Cybersecurity suppliers have until 9 November.

NATO Edge 26 — Official conference and registration

SATERA: Discover the Technologies Shaping the Future of Space — 19 November 2026 | Valencia, Spain — NEW TO RADAR

Organizer: SATERA European research consortium, hosted by the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

This specialist workshop examines space-based aircraft surveillance, particularly in oceanic and remote regions where conventional radar coverage is limited.

The programme includes a panel on space-based surveillance involving ENAIRE, Startical, EASA, EUROCAE, SESAR Joint Undertaking and the European Defence Agency.

Technical presentations cover satellite antennas, intersatellite networks, low-Earth-orbit satellite technologies and multichannel ADS-B receivers.

The public workshop runs from 15:00 to 19:00 at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Registration is available through the official event page. SESAR Joint Undertaking

ExecFrontline member relevance: VERY HIGH — satellite manufacturers, space SMEs, aviation technology companies, ATM suppliers, engineering, certification and dual-use technology developers.

Space-based surveillance connects two sectors that are often managed separately: satellite infrastructure and aviation operations.

Commercial deployment requires agreement on service availability, data quality, cybersecurity, integration responsibilities and long-term service contracts.

SATERA — Official programme and registration

ENDR Conference: From Lab to Field — Deep Tech Dual-Use Innovation for Defence — 25–26 November 2026 | Eindhoven, Netherlands — NEW TO RADAR / MATCHMAKING AVAILABLE

Organizers: European Commission DG DEFIS and Province of North Brabant, working with Brabant Development Agency (BOM), Brainport Development and the Dutch Ministry of Defence.

The conference addresses one of Europe's most persistent defence innovation problems: moving technologies from laboratories and startups into operational military capabilities.

Its focus includes integrated photonics, wireless optical communications, autonomous systems, counter-UAS technologies, advanced sensing, quantum technologies and European dual-use funding programmes.

25 November: Keynotes, workshops, technology exhibition, networking and matchmaking.

26 November: Site visits and field trips across North Brabant's industrial and innovation ecosystem.

Participation is open to startups, scaleups, established defence companies, researchers, policymakers and regional innovation organisations.

Registration is open through a dedicated B2Match platform. Individual keynote speakers and specific registration deadlines have not yet been confirmed on the European Commission's event page. Defence Industry and Space

ExecFrontline member relevance: EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH — defence startups, SMEs, OEMs, Tier suppliers, investors, procurement, contracts, engineering and industrialisation specialists.

This event is particularly relevant to ExecFrontline because the central challenge is not discovering new technology. It is making that technology usable, procurable, manufacturable and supportable.

The combination of funding discussions, matchmaking and industrial site visits offers opportunities to connect technology developers with companies that understand qualification, production, contractual requirements and operational deployment.

European Commission — Official programme and registration

AOC 2026 International Symposium & Convention — 8–10 December 2026 | National Harbor, Maryland, USA — NEW TO RADAR / OCTOBER AGENDA AND REGISTRATION DEADLINE

Organizer: Association of Old Crows (AOC).

One of the leading international conferences on electromagnetic warfare, electronic attack, spectrum operations and associated defence technologies.

The October programme includes sessions on acquisition reform, accelerating operational capability delivery, lessons from Ukraine, AI-enabled electronic warfare and multinational interoperability.

Particularly relevant are dedicated programme manager briefings covering US Army, Navy and Air Force acquisition activities.

Confirmed speakers include William D. Bailey, Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, and Lieutenant General James Adams, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The programme also includes a discussion on the international implications of the EA-37B airborne electronic attack capability.

Important access restriction: Programme manager briefings require an Exhibitor or Master Pass and are closed to media. aoc2026.org

REGISTRATION DEADLINE — 30 OCTOBER 2026: Standard Master Pass pricing ends on 30 October. Industry member admission increases from $995 to $1,095 on 31 October; non-member admission increases from $1,195 to $1,295.

A dedicated Small Business Showcase offers reduced-price exhibition packages, with participation allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. aoc2026.org

ExecFrontline member relevance: EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH — defence electronics suppliers, military aviation, EW companies, dual-use startups, OEMs, investors, procurement, contracts and programme management.

The programme manager briefings are particularly valuable because they connect operational requirements with acquisition budgets, programme structures and future industrial opportunities.

For smaller suppliers, understanding how military customers intend to buy, integrate and sustain electronic warfare capabilities can be more commercially valuable than another general technology presentation.

AOC 2026 — Official conference agenda | Registration and pricing

ExecFrontline priority assessment — 25 October 2026

The two most actionable developments are the additional NATO Edge consultations and the AOC registration deadline.

The NATO consultations provide concrete opportunities for companies to engage before acquisition requirements are finalised. The NCI Academy deadline on 2 November is particularly close.

The ENDR conference deserves high priority for European startups, SMEs and investors. Its emphasis on industrial partnerships and operational deployment directly addresses the gap between technology development and defence readiness.

For civil aviation, the SESAR Common Project 2 proposal is the most significant strategic development. It could shape future European ATM investment and procurement, although the proposal still needs to progress through the relevant approval processes.

Immediate deadlines: 30 October — AOC standard registration; 2 November — NATO NCI Academy consultation; 9 November — NATO Integrated Cyber Defence Centre consultation.

Other previously reported events did not yield sufficiently substantiated new developments to warrant repetition in this review.