gda 2026 Speakers
Global Defence Aviation consistently showcases a high-calibre roster of speakers from the forefront of military aviation, operations, and capability development. The 2025 edition brought together senior air force leaders, programme directors, technical specialists, and industry innovators from over 85 nations — all contributing to the global dialogue on the future of air power.
Covering topics ranging from next-generation rotary and fixed-wing platforms to uncrewed systems, digital integration, and air domain resilience, our speakers deliver both strategic insight and technical depth.
The GDA agenda is now available. You can view the 2026 edition by clicking the button below.
2026 Speaker line-up

Adam Wells
Director of Warfighter Support Solutions, Marvin Test Solutions

Agnieszka Gugala-Szczerbicka
Provision and flights for UAS, Polish Institute of Aviation

Air Commodore Jeroen van Bruchem
Commander (Desig) – Netherlands Defence Helicopter Command, Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force

Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Ackrill
Former Commander Combat Aviation Brigade, UK MoD

Brigadier General Pablo Muñoz Bermudo
Commander Spanish Army Aviation, FAMET

Brigadier General Peter Simon
Commander, HDF 86th Szolnok Helicopter Brigade

Captain (Ret’d) Dennis Monagle
Former Director Unmanned and Robotic Systems, US Navy

Captain Miguel Monteiro
Operations Officer – Squadron 551, Portuguese Air Force

Colonel Alper Anteplioglu
UAV Branch Head, Turkish Air Force

Colonel Benjamin Ingham
AH Adapt, Joint Aviation Command

Colonel Francis Lavertu
Commander 1st Wing, Canadian Armed Forces

Colonel Francisco Ortiz de Zarate
Programme Manager Tiger -Programme Division, OCCAR

Colonel Guillaume Briançon Rouge
Head of the Studies and Foresight Division, French Army

Colonel Krisztián Kovács
Commander Hungarian Defence Forces 86 Helicopter Wing, Hungarian Air Force

Colonel Krzysztof Dragan
Professor, ITWL

Colonel Lars Hedemark
Commander – Air Transport Wing and Garrison Commander – Air Station Aalbourg, Royal Danish Air Force

Colonel Leigh Irwin
Program Manager for Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems, US Navy

Colonel Nicolas de Montcheuil
NH90 Program Director, French Army Aviation Command

Commander Andrew Henderson
Wildcat Maritime Force Commander, Royal Navy

Craig Whitson-Fay
Sales Manager, FLX, Avionic Systems, Thales

CW5 Michael Weisskopf
Standardization Officer, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, US Army

Cyril Heckel
NGRC Programme Manager, NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA)

Daniel Du Plessis
Vice President Africa, Milkor

Dr.-Ing. Fabian Schmitt
Co-Founder and Co-CEO, HAT.tec

Eddi Giorgio Gnecchi
Key Account Manager, G&G Partners

Francesc Garrido Farre
NGRC Technical Officer, NSPA

George DeCock
Director of SCARpods & ISR Sensors, Airborne Technologies

Grzegorz Wyszynsk
Head of Business and Member of the Management Board, PZL-Åšwidnik

James Barton
NATO & Europe Land Manager, Tekever

Jenna Van Beck
Europe Business Development for Aerospace and Mission Systems, BAE Systems

Kirsten McCormick
Head of AI for Air & Naval UK, General Dynaics

Kyle Germaine
Program Manager – Specialized Weapon Systems ,MOOG

Lietenant Commander Anders Blichert-Refsgaard
Head of Helicopter Section, Danish Air Command

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Pierre-Alain Goujard
Former Helicopter Programme Manager, French MoD

Lieutenant Colonel Almir Halebic
Management Senior Advisor, Ministry of Defence BiH

Lieutenant Colonel Anna Huuva
Commander 1. Helo Detachment, Swedish Air Force

Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin J. Link
Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) – Future Concepts and Capabilities Officer Cunningham Group, US Marine Corps

Lieutenant Colonel Deividas Mikalonis
Maintenance Depot commander, Lithuanian Air Force

Lieutenant Colonel François Baczkowski
H160M Cheetah steering officer

Lieutenant Colonel Jordy van Reisen
Head of Rotary Wing Investment Plans, Netherlands Air and Space Force Command

Lieutenant Colonel Nakul Nayyar
Cyber & AI SME, Royal Canadian Air Force, Joint Air Power Competence Center

Lieutenant Commander Sebastian
Pilot, German Navy

Luca Colombo
Marketing Manager – Military Specialized Helicopters, Leonardo

Luca Gargiulo
EDA Project Officer Air Superiority, European Defence Agency

Major General (Ret) Patrick Bréthous
CEO adviser for military affairs, Airbus Helicopters

Major General Ireneusz Starzynski
Deputy General Commander, General Command of the Polish Armed Forces

Major Jan Malmgren
Chief of Operations – Air Patrol Squadron, Finnish Border Guard

Major Michael Zbonack
 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – Future Concepts and Capabilities Officer, Cunningham Group, US Marine Corps

Major Samuel M
Head of Aviation Capabilities Branch, French Army Special Operations Command

Marco Fois
Project Officer for Training, European Defence Agency

Mark Langrill
Director Rotary Wing & Uncrewed Air Systems, UK MoD DE&S

Matthew McCall
Director of Business Development, MOOG

Maxime Martinez
Principle Procurement Officer, NSPA

Mehmet Şevki Sarraçoğlu
Program Manager, Avionics Systems Program Directorate / ASELSAN

Michael Holz, RST
Chief Operating Officer, Reiser Simulation and Training GmbH

Paolo Trotta
CEO and Founder, Mission Systems SA

Peter Sanderson
Head of Design and Integration, HeliOperations

Rafael Valverde
Sales Executive, Centum

Rich Enderle
Senior Advisor to the CEO, Ace Aeronautics

Rob McMillin
Vice President, Aircraft & Systems, Davenport Aviation

Sam Kirsh
Business Development Director for Precision Guidance & Sensing Solutions, BAE Systems

Stanislaw Wziatek
Deputy Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Poland, Ministry of National Defence

Steffen Kolditz
Head of Airborne Solutions, Hensoldt GmbH

Stergios Isakidis
NATO AGS & UAS Programme Manager, NSPA

Thomas Delfs
Head of Sales and Business Development, ND Satcom

Todd Lovell
Technical Fellow and Chief Engineer for Future Vertical Lift, RTX

Tom Ball
European Operations and Training Consultant, Battlespace Simulations

Tony Cozzitorto
Vice President of Business Development, Fulcrum Concepts LLC

Willem Jan Derks
Sales Team Manager International, Robin Radar