Opening Reception - Fort Frontenac Officers Mess  

1800 Reception Starts   

1830 Opening Remarks and Introductions 

Howard Coombs, Centre for International and Defence Policy

Keynote Address: Stephen Mariano, Provost, US Naval War College

2100 Reception Ends

Day 1 - Bellevue Room, Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront

0645 Breakfast (Islandview Room)

0700 Registration (Bellevue Room)

0815 Welcome Announcement and Land Acknowledgement

• Dave Forbes, CIDP Canadian Armed Forces Visiting Defence Fellow 

0830 Challenge to the Conference 

• Shawn Guilbault, Canadian Defence and Security Network VDF

0845 Opening Keynote

• Gen Jennie Carignan, Chief of Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces

  Introduction: Patrick Deane, Principal, Queen’s University

  Moderated by: Matthew Evans, Provost, Queen’s University

0930 Brief Intermission

0945 Panel 1: Historical Evolution of Maritime Security: International Perspectives

This opening panel examines the historical development of maritime security through North American and European lenses. Researchers will explore the evolution of naval strategies, the impact of transatlantic trade, and cooperative efforts in addressing piracy and maritime threats. Topics include the role of European empires in shaping early maritime security, the evolution of North American navies, and their part in establishing Western maritime security perspectives. The panel highlights shared challenges and strategies that have shaped maritime security, offering insights for addressing contemporary global threats in the maritime domain.  

Moderated by: Tanya Grodzinski, Royal Military College of Canada 

• Rich Gimblett, former Command Historian Royal Canadian Navy 

• Evan Wilson, US Naval War College  

• Hugues Canuel, CDA Singapore 

1115 Break
1145 Panel 2: Autonomous Maritime Strategy: Does Technology Drive National Security Choices?

Whether budgets rather than objectives are the valid driver of strategic choice is a perennial debate in democracies. Many have argued that—in reality—defence budgets, not strategies, are the primary arbiters of national security decision-making; others bemoan that formal strategic planning seems to have no practical effect on developing defence programs. This is a continuing issue in US Navy resource decisions and program development and appears to also affect Canadian defence. The panel will examine an additional emerging factor (and question) that expands this debate—will future technology drive our strategic choices, shaping budgets (although also limited by them) and further reducing the impact of strategic plans?  This question will be examined from both technological (cyber, AI, etc.) and strategic points of view and include a discussion of the budget-dominant argument.  

Moderated by: Sam J. Tangredi, Leidos Chair of Future Warfare Studies, U.S. Naval War College 

• Peter Dombrowski, Ruger Chair of National Security Economics, U.S. Naval War College

• Chris C. Demchak, Rear Admiral Grace Hopper Chair of Cyber Security, U.S. Naval War College 

• James Cook, Professor of National Security Affairs, U.S. Naval War College  

1315 Lunch  

1415 Panel 3: Emerging Threats from Below, New Naval Capabilities for the Future

This session explores the influence of technological disruption on the domain of maritime security, with particular focus on autonomous underwater vehicles, maritime drones, and quantum sensing. Far from being mere modern torpedoes, these systems represent a fundamental shift in naval warfare, enabling persistent surveillance, networked swarming, and human-machine teaming. In addition to discussing the technical advantages offered by these emerging technologies, this session also explores how the 19th-century Jeune École naval doctrine—centered on asymmetric warfare and technological disruption—offers a valuable framework for understanding the strategic impact of maritime drones and autonomous underwater vehicles. Contemporary revolutions in the maritime battlespace echo Jeune École’s ethos while ushering in a new era of distributed, intelligent, and cost-effective naval power.

Moderated by: Michael Barefoot, Canadian Forces College 

• Paul Mitchell, Canadian Forces College 

• Phillip Durand, Director of Naval Requirements 4, Naval Warfare Systems, Royal Canadian Navy 

• Alex Maierean, Co-founder and CEO, Phantom Photonics

1545 Break  

1615 Keynote

• RAdm Jason Armstrong, Chief of Naval Capabilities, Royal Canadian Navy
  Moderated by:  Gaëlle Rivard-Piché, Conference of Defence Associations

1700 End of Session

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1900 Maritime Security Wargame

Introduction:  Michael Barefoot, Canadian Forces College 

Presented and facilitated by the Canadian Joint Warfare Centre (CJWC) Wargaming section, and based on a series of actual wargames, this game event will highlight the importance of logistics, maneuverability, and the integration of multi-domain operations, including land, sea, air, space, civil, and military assets in one of the most challenging maritime regions on the globe.  

Players will represent commanders and advisors, from North America or Russia, with asymmetric objectives. "Don't panic" The game is fun, challenging and easy to play. 

Day 2 - Bellevue Room, Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront 

0700Breakfast (Island View Room)

0730Registration (Bellevue Room)

0825 Welcome and Announcements

• Nicolas Gauthier, CIDP Canadian Armed Forces Visting Defence Fellow 

0830 Keynote

• Jon-Åge ØYSLEBØ, Deputy Head of Mission, Norway

  Moderated by: Michael Lynch, US Army War College

0915 Panel 4: NATO, Maritime Security and the Undersea: Challenges and Opportunities

NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept highlights maritime security as crucial for prosperity and peace, emphasizing the link between the global economy and international stability. With over 80% of trade, two-thirds of oil and gas resources, and 95% of data transmissions dependent on maritime flows, any disruption – including in the undersea environment - poses significant risks. Recent threats, such as the 2023 Red Sea disruption, have driven up shipping costs, burdened economies, and strained the rules-based international order. However, the effectiveness of naval forces in safeguarding these flows remains uncertain, posing a strategic challenge for NATO in capability investment and force positioning. This panel will explore NATO’s posture in safeguarding maritime security in different geostrategic areas, also discussing the strategies and actions of its adversaries and competitors in the different theaters and highlighting synergies with other maritime security players. Ensuring resilient maritime flows is essential to NATO’s role in economic security and global stability, reinforcing its strategic importance in an increasingly unstable world. 

Moderated by: Eric De Landmeter, Head Policy & Engagement, NATO Defense College 

• Sarah Kirchberger, Academic Director, Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK) 

• James Henry Bergeron, Political Advisor to the Commander, Allied Maritime Command 

• Rob Watt, Director of Naval Strategy, Royal Canadian Navy 

1030 Health Break  

1100 Panel 5: The Arctic Frontier: Maritime Security and Opportunities in Polar Regions

As changing weather patterns accelerate Arctic ice melt, new opportunities and challenges emerge for maritime security. This panel explores the geopolitical, environmental, and economic implications of increased Arctic shipping, resource exploration, and military activity. Experts will discuss legal frameworks, regional cooperation, and the role of local communities in ensuring agile, sustainable and secure maritime operations in the Arctic. 

Moderated by: Alexis Dieryckx, Northern Approaches Branch, Strategy and Policy Division, NORAD and USNORTHCOM

• Andrea Charron, Director, Centre for Defence and Security Studies, University of Manitoba 

• Preston McIntosh, Maritime Component Command (MCC) 

• Ray Snook, British Defence Liaison, British High Commission

1230 Lunch  

1330 Closing Keynote

• Lieutenant-General Blaise Frawley, frmr Deputy Commander, NORAD

• Moderated by: Andrea Charron, Centre for Defence and Security Studies, University of Manitoba 

1415 Closing Remarks

• Michael Murphy, Director, Centre for International and Defence Policy