Space: Exploring NATO’s Final Frontier

The International Academic Conference organized by IAI, University of Bologna and NATO Allied Command Transformation, in Bertinoro (Forlì) on 8-9-10 November 2023.

The conference has been kicked-off by a plenary session to set the scene on the Space as a crucial enabler for security and defence operations. Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing space landscape, the first Working Group adopted a comprehensive approach, analysing the global space context and the development of NATO's posture in space; the second focused on space capabilities and NATO decision-making, with a specific focus on space situational awareness and the use of space assets in support of military operations and political decisions; the third addressed space threats and their implications for NATO's deterrence and defence in alignment with the 2022 Strategic Concept. Finally, a concluding plenary session dealt with the implications for NATO and the way ahead.

More than 60 representatives from academia, think tanks, NATO agencies and commands, as well as from EU institutions and other international organizations, have participated in the event. It is the 9th edition of the of the Academic Conferences series started in 2011 in Bologna

The papers presented during the event and the Working Groups’ reports have been released through an ad hoc publication.