In preparation for International Dismounted Soldier 2024, we have asked our audience to delve even further into the technologies, trends, and challenges of the dismounted soldier. Building on the survey results of our previous iterations, we were able to paint an even more detailed picture of the related issues and highlight some of the dissonances between stakeholders.

Attend International Dismounted Soldier conference this 29-30 October 2024 at Copthorne Tara, London UK and meet with 20+ nations, 90+ military and industry attendees, and 20+ speakers. Gain the opportunity to explore comprehensive and informative discussion on the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in the field of dismounted soldier operations.

View the Attendees Snapshot here>> 

The dismounted soldier remains the backbone of any force, and as such, forces strive to maintain their lethality, survivability, and mobility. This endeavour is only further complicated by the need for a networked force approaching multi-domain capability. The following report includes:

• Short-term modernisation programmes
• The aims of the various soldier programmes
• Where applicable, the contracts involved with the modernisation process
  

Speaker presentation from Colonel Harm Van Der Have, Manoeuvre Education & Training Center, Netherlands Army from last year's iteration of International Dismounted Soldier.

No matter how battlefields evolve, the dismounted soldier remains the core of the land forces. To ensure that dismounted soldiers remain combat-effective, the organisation, tactics, and technologies employed need to continuously evolve to meet operational needs.

One of the questions plaguing defence future planners is, “How will we fight in the future?” Future soldier programmes try to answer this question for the dismounted soldier. As technology advances, improvements in size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) allow the dismounted soldier to carry more equipment and, therefore, do more. However, this is at odds with human factors such as physical and cognitive burden and complicated by the changing nature of the battlefield.

In this interview, we talk to Lieutenant Colonel Kai Falk, Capability Development Soldier Systems, Army Concepts and Capabilities Development Centre of the Bundeswehr on Germany’s Future Soldier Programme (Infanterist der Zukunft (IdZ)). We enquire about how recent developments have changed the direction of the IdZ, what is envisioned for the future, and how this vision is informed.

Defence iQ’s International Dismounted Soldier 2023 conference has successfully brought together 20+ nations, 90+ military and industry attendees, and 20+ speakers with the opportunity to explore comprehensive and informative discussion on the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in the field of dismounted soldier operations.

Many European nations' return to a near-peer focus caused by the invasion of Ukraine has caused many military planners to implement several step changes. From a European defence perspective, perhaps the most significant change was the joining of Nordic nations to NATO. This presentation was delivered in 2023 by Colonel Niklas Edelsvärd from the FMV - Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, which covers:

• The context in the FMV and Sweden finds itself
• Presentation of some of the soldier projects the FMV is working on from a joint procurement perspective
• An outlook on the FMV’s research and development of soldier systems
  

A follow up to previous year’s survey on the Dismounted Soldier Challenges and Trends. In this survey we asked respondents from several backgrounds questions which build upon last year’s results. The questions touched a broad range of topics ranging from what the current priorities are to how we minimise casualties from indirect fires. This piece of content serves to act as a starting point for market research on the topic.

The Dismounted Soldier faces various challenges from armour to artillery. The War in Ukraine has emphasised the importance of both anti-tank and mortar systems, while also informing us on how these very systems need to adapt to peer-on-peer conflict. This market report covers the latest programme developments of various nations from across the globe. A must read for anyone interested in staying abreast of the latest developments.

In this interview, Lieutenant Colonel Ron Dresen, Staff Officer and Subject Matter Expert on Urban Ops at the RNLA, shares his wealth of experience and knowledge of Urban Warfare. In this piece, he explains how the War in Ukraine has put a new perspective on urban combat operations and what this means for the Royal Netherlands Army and modern European forces in terms of what needs to be improved.

In this exclusive interview, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Dawe, Commanding Officer of the Infantry Trials Development Unit discusses the future of the British Armed Forces as it modernises and digitises. Dawe also provides insight into the impact of technologies such as AI and ML on the battlefield. Read the 8 minute interview now to learn more about the projects transforming the way British Land Forces conduct operations in the tactical environment.

The War in Ukraine shows the clear importance of the dismounted soldier in contemporary warfare. In many respects, it demonstrates the value of personal training, communication, and firepower on the modern battlefield. Ukrainian defence expert, Pavlo Khoma, shares the lessons learned from the beginning of the invasion, delivering a unique insight into how things have changed in modern warfare but also how things remain the same.

Industry, in many ways, has surpassed government in terms of technology for the dismounted soldier platform allowing for a number of possibilities and challenges. In this survey, we asked people with a military, academic, government agency, and industry backgrounds to share their thoughts on the domain. This survey highlights the views on the challenges and solutions facing the dismounted soldier platform and the dissonance between the respondent types.

The dismounted soldier has remained the main combat unit for all forces. Events in Eastern Europe have shown that when properly armed, trained, and informatised, the soldierly remains the most capable and adaptable tool in the arsenal. Despite various limitations ranging from size and weight of the equipment to its cognitive complexity; every year more capability and lethality are afforded to the soldier due to advancements in technology and organizational concepts. This market report highlights the various programs nations are undertaking to ensure the main stay of their forces remain relevant and lethal.

Having deployed in several conflict zones, Lieutenant General (Ret.) James Bashall shares his views on the current status of the dismounted soldier domain. While technology may evolve and even disrupt, the soldier and therefore the human element remains at the core of any fighting force. Lt. Gen. Bashall highlights the challenges and trends which must be addressed not only at the soldier level, but at the governmental level as well. An essential piece of reading for both newcomers and experts alike.