Towards An Independent Industrial Base For Combat Air
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the annual
International Fighter Conference (IFC) continues to be the world's leading event bringing together the greatest minds in combat aviation, from across the globe.
Returning in 2025 to the brand new location of Rome, Italy, over 400 leaders and air force commanders from across continents, who are working to ensure air superiority in an increasingly contested battlespace will meet to collaborate and discuss the latest developments in combat air operations, and next-generation technology.
As nations continue to develop their Future Combat Air Systems and contracts start to be awarded, interoperability across the aerospace domain is a key factor in ensuring air superiority and maintaining the advantage over adversaries. From NGAD and FCAS, to GCAP and F/A-XX, there is much discussion around the technologies available and the operational environments that these systems will contend with when they enter service. The evolving role of industry as nations look to establish a more independent industrial base is also playing a critical part in the development of next-generation platforms and capabilities.
Attracting senior military leaders, government officials, and industry experts at the forefront of fighter technology,
IFC is the only global event with up-to-date information on the ongoing lessons and changes in warfare and equipment.
Join us in Rome, Italy in November 2025!
What to Expect in 2025
- 400+ Attendees
- 40+ Nations
- 40+ Presentations
- 80+ Organisations
- New Technology & Engineering Track: Running alongside the traditional IFC, adding depth to discussions
- Stronger Industry-Air Force Collaboration: Military, government and industry experts connect in a dedicated space
- Aligned Decision-Making: Both technical and operational leaders working together like never before
- Greater Impact: Expanded benefits of your participation, integrating technical and operational expertise
Top Reasons to Attend IFC 2025
- Establish valuable connections with programme heads and directors to strategically position your business for successful contract acquisition in upcoming capability programmes
- Learn from leading Air Forces as they seek to integrate electronic warfare, cyber, and data systems into aircraft to counter nefarious activity in the battle space.
- Gain insights on upcoming requirements from key nations that are actively looking to collaborate with industry as they plan for fifth & sixth generation capabilities, and hear the latest updates directly from program leaders.
- Explore the applications of AI and space-based capabilities in air combat operations to maintain a strategic advantage over adversaries as the air domain becomes increasingly contested.
2025 Conference Chairs
- General (Ret'd) Mark D. Kelly, Former Commander, Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Force
- General (Ret'd) Frank Gorenc, Former Commander, USAFE-AFAFRICA
- Major General (Ret'd) Sylvain Ménard, Former Chief Fighter and NORAD Capability, Royal Canadian Air Force
2025 Speakers
- General Adrian Spain, Incoming Commander, Air Combat Command
- Lieutenant General Antonio Conserva, Chief of Staff, Italian Air Force
- Lieutenant General David Tabor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, U.S. Air Force
- Lieutenant General Giovanni Balestri, Deputy Chief of Staff, Italian Air Force
- Major General Larry Broadwell, Deputy Commander, 16th Air Force
- Major General William D Betts, Plans, Programs and Requirements Director, Air Combat Command (ACC)
- Vice Admiral Daniel Cheever, Commander, Naval Air Forces, US Navy
- Major General Jonas Wikman, Commander, Swedish Air Force
- Major General Gregory Kreuder, Commander 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command (AETC), 19AF/AETC
- Major General Jeff Smyth, Chief Air & Space Force Development, Royal Canadian Air Force
- Major General Cezary Wisniewski, General Command Deputy Commander, Polish Air Force
- Major General Ahmad Khusairi bin Ahmad Fadil, RMAF Air Region 2 Commander, Royal Malaysian Air Force
- Rear Admiral David Desfougères, Commander of the French Naval Aviation Force, French Navy
- Tom Goffus, Assistant Secretary General for Operations, NATO
- Air Vice-Marshal Shaun Harris CBE, Director Support and Chief Engineer, Royal Air Force
- Rear Admiral Richard Burgess, Prospective Commander, NAWDC
- Rear Admiral Giancarlo Ciappina, Commander, Naval Aviation Department, Italian Navy
- Air Commodore Alun Roberts, Head Air to Air Missiles, Royal Air Force
- Air Commodore Pete Robinson, Commander, Air Combat Group, Royal Australian Air Force
- Air Commodore Chris Layden, Combat Air Force Commander, Royal Air Force
- Brigadier General Paolo Rubino, Chief of Staff of the Air Education Training Command / 3rd Air Region, Italian Air Force
- Brigadier General Phillipe Suhr, Operational Chief, FCAS Project, French Air and Space Force
- Brigadier General Ugrik Csaba, Flight Director, Hungarian Defence Force
- Air Commodore Howard Edwards, DCOS Support, HQ AIRCOM - NATO
- Crista-lynn Ferguson, Director General Fighter Capability, Royal Canadian Air Force
- Thomas 'Vulture' Lawhead, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration and Requirements, US Air Force
- Colonel Antonio Vivolo, FCAS Tempest Director & Senior Technical Representative to GCAP, Italian National Armament Directorate
- Colonel Roeland Van Thienen, F-35A Capability Director, Belgian Air Force
- Colonel Ralf Kleindienst, Deputy Commander, Weapon Systems Support Center 1, Bundeswehr
- Colonel Lee Bryant, 96th Operations Group Commander, US Air Force
- Colonel Vito Cracas, Assistant Director, JAPCC NATO
- Colonel Timothy Helfrich, Director, Agile Development Office, U.S. Air Force
- Lieutenant Colonel John Cummings, Autonomous Collaborative Platforms Division Chief, ACC, US Air Force
- Col. (Ret.) David Jake Timm, Future Fighter Training, U.S. Air Force
- Commander Jean Duboin, Navy Rafale Program Manager, French Navy
- Jason Hawker, Principal Officer NATO Flying Training Europe, NSPA
- Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospsace, IISS
- Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow for Airpower, RUSI
- Dr. Sophy Antrobus, Senior Research Fellow, The Freeman Air and Space Institute, King's College London
- Regine Friedberger, Branch Chief, Bundesministerium der Verteidigung
- Colonel Klaus Wuggazer, Coordination Officer F-35A, Bundesministerium der Verteidigung
Please fill in your name and email to receive the Conference Agenda of this event.
Venue
Sheraton Rome Parco de' Medici
Via Salvatore Rebecchini, 39, 00148
Rome, Italy
TEL: +39 06 65288
Book Your Nearby Accommodation:Reservation Method: Reserve your room by clicking on the reservation link below. We have reserved a selection of rooms at a discounted group rate, subject to availability;
Book your group rate for - International Fighter ConferenceGroup Rate: From €140.00 per night, excluding VAT.
