The 3rd Manama Air Power Symposium (MAPS 2020) will take place at Sofitel Manama Hotel, Bahrain on November 17 under the new norm of social distancing in line with global efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The organizers of the conference will be closely monitoring the situation and ensure the event will take place in a safe environment. MAPS is held under the prestigious patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and supported by the Royal Bahrain Air Force and the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication.
MAPS 2020 is the official conference of Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) that will take place on 18-20 November 2020. With ongoing patronage from His Majesty the King, BIAS 2020 is a collaborative effort between the Bahrain Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications; the Royal Bahraini Air Force, and in association with Farnborough International.
MAPS 2020 will bring together a select high-caliber audience of over 300 air force commanders and operators, policymakers and industry leaders from over 25 countries for the most important regional air power conference in 2020.
Under the new norm of social distancing the conference hall setting will be a classroom style whereby only two persons will be seated per table keeping a minimum of 1.5 meter space between them.
For coffee breaks, ready plates with pastries will be handed to attendees along with ready filled cups of coffee and tea to prevent queuing. The lunch setting will not be buffet as usual and will have instead seated lunch with appetizers ready on table and each participant will get to pick from a selection of 3 main dishes to be served on the table. Each table will have only 5 people instead of 10. Participants might be asked to wear masks during conference.
Strategically timed to pre-curser BIAS, the theme for MAPS 2020 is “Air Power and Air Defense in High Tempo and Networked Environments” where the one-day international conference will discuss the most pressing issues in air power and missile defense in light of the most recent experiences and lessons learned in-theater from operations.
The Symposium will discuss the following topics in three separate sessions:
First Session:
- Enhancing 4th Generation fighters to better networked and coordinated operations with 5th Generation fighters – Future Priorities
- Conducting joint manned and unmanned aircrafts’ missions in joint operations – Technical Challenges and Opportunities
- Utilizing Artificial Intelligence to Bolster C4ISR: Possibilities, Challenges and Future Opportunities
Second Session:
Effective Defense against drone and cruise missiles’ attacks: Lessons Learned
- Building a Fully Integrated Missile Defense System: Countering an Evolving Ballistic Missile Technology
- Enhancing C-RAM capabilities in a Hybrid Warfare Environment
Third Session:
Evolving Role of Rotary wing aircraft and helicopters in anti-submarine and surface warfare
- Effectively Utilizing Virtual Reality to Enhance and Improve Training of Pilots: Towards a More Cost-Effective Experience
- Technological Advances and Requirements: Improving Operational Concepts of Helicopter Gunships
