Mini-Symposium

Sensor Technology Advancement

for Protection Against

Modern Threats

Speakers:         Evert Woudenberg,  Annemieke Tonnaer and Rogier Noorland (see programme below)

Date:                   Friday 13^th of June 2025

Time:                   10:30 – 17:30,

Venue:                Thales Nederland

                               Zuidelijke Havenweg 40, Hengelo

                                In person event - no online attendance

Lunch/drinks: Lunch, coffee, tea and drinks will be served during the symposium

Contact:            IMarESTBeNeLux@gmail.com

Registration:  Via this link, before Sunday June 8^th

Dear Kivi member, IMarEST member or friend,

You are hereby cordially invited to the coming Mini-Symposium, which will be a collaborative effort of the IMarEST BeNeLux Branch and KIVI D&V. Hopefully you have saved the date, as we have prepared a very interesting program. This lecture will be fully in person (i.e. online attendance is not possible). Details of the programme and additional information can be found below. Your attendance to this Mini-Symposium will be much appreciated. I look forward to seeing you on the 13^th of June. The Mini-Symposium will start at 10:30.

Please fill in this form if you intend to attend the day. Please register before Sunday 8th of June 12:00 PM to enable us to make reservations in time and order sufficient lunch / coffee / refreshments.

If you are not a member yet, and do regularly attend our lectures, please consider joining:

Join IMarEST: membership link

Free membership for  (PhD) students: student membership link

Join KIVI: membership link

Includes reduced-fee membership for (PhD) students

Thank you in advance.

Yours sincerely,

Menno van Leeuwen – Honorary Secretary IMarEST Benelux Branch.

Annabel Broer – Committee member IMarEST

Douwe Stapersma – Committee member IMarEST

Detailed Programme

Event description

In the face of a growing range of ever-changing threats, the navies and military authorities rely on sensor systems. Close integration between multiple disciplines is required to develop these, in order to keep citizens safe and protect our seas, coastlines and land. In order to dive deeper into this topic and inform our members, IMarEST BeNeLux branch and KIVI Defensie en Veiligheid (defence and safety) decided to collaborate and organize the yearly mini-symposium with Thales Nederland.

Thales Nederland is a internationally trusted company specialized on sensor technology, with a strong expertise in Defense and Security. In the mini-symposium, the speakers will address various important topics, including naval sensors, and protection against drones, ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats.

After the symposium, there will be room for discussion, questions and drinks.

About the Speakers

Overview of the challenges and developments of naval sensors – Evert Woudenberg

Sensors are essential in modern naval warfare. They are used to create the situational and critical awareness during maritime operations, but also essential to guide various weapon systems. Continuous evolution is needed to cope with the challenges of today and tomorrow. The environments in which they operate are increasingly difficult due to for example the increasing number of wind turbines at sea or advanced jamming techniques employed by adversaries. In addition, the range of object that needs to be detected and classified have exponentially increased, for example due to the evolution in drone technologies. In this lecture, the Thales Nederland philosophy towards designing and realizing the most advanced systems, along with some examples of recent radars.

Protection against the evolving drone threat at sea – Annemieke Tonnaer

Drones are entering the naval warfare domain at a very fast pace. Ukraine have created a large effect through the use of maritime drones against the Russian Black Sea fleet. Also in the Red Sea, a variety of drones have been used against both military and civilian vessels. An important challenge for most navies is to create an efficient and effective defence against drone attacks. In this lecture, the main challenges in terms of detection and engagement will be discussed, including a number of illustrations of the threat and directions to solve.

Representative of Dutch military – tbd

We are still in contact with various possible speakers.

Defence against ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats - Rogier Noorland

An increasing threat for (NATO) Maritime Groups are the used of Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBMs) and Hypersonic Weapons. The defence against such threats is complex. In order to be effective, sensors need to be changed and working much closer together, the command & control networks need to be adapted and new effectors are required. In the lecture, a comprehensive overview will be given on the challenges and developments running to cope with this new and advanced threat.