The WEST 2011 Online Show Daily

After the Long War: What’s Next?

• Day 1: Game-Changing Environment Vexes Planners
• Day 2: Shipbuilding, Cybersecurity and China Key U.S. Navy Concerns
• Day 3: Defense Doctrines, Processes Face Fundamental Shifts
• Additional blog coverage on SIGNAL Scape

The Long War is not only a commitment of time, but also of resources and resolve. It is unlike any other fought in the modern era, as the changes emerging from its asymmetric warfare define its progress. As leaders start to discuss current Afghanistan drawdown issues and look past the name of a war that extends beyond borders, they find that many new challenges color the landscape.

Experts from government, military and industry are taking the podium to present the issues and ask hard questions, such as how do we enhance the adaptability of the military forces we have and how do we make information a weapon? Budgets come into play as well during any transitory situation, but certainly in the context of a difficult economic climate. The effect of flat or declining budgets will be part of the dialog shared from those who understand the planning and programs that could be affected.

AFCEA International and the U.S. Naval Institute are sponsoring a three day conference, January 25, 2011 through January 27, 2011, in San Diego, California, that probes the future using the insight of some of the most respected experts on the Long War.

Coverage of each day’s discussions begins here.

Leaders scheduled to participate in this conference include:

• Vice Adm. Richard W. Hunt, USN, commander, U.S. Third Fleet
• Maj. Gen. Melvin G. Spiese, USMC, deputy commanding general, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force
• Mike Petters, Corporate Vice President and President, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding
• The Honorable Robert O. Work, Undersecretary of the Navy
• Rear Adm. Joseph R. Castillo, USCG, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District
• Richard Spires, Chief Information Officer, Department of Homeland Security.

Visit this site for daily coverage of these leading experts as they discuss how to use all the tools available for a winning strategy—no matter where we think we are in the timeline of the Long War.

For more information on the conference, go to the WEST conference web site.

Bookmark this page (www.afcea.org/signal/events/west2011daily) for online show coverage each day, and follow conference conversations on Twitter.com with the hash-tag #west11. SIGNAL editors will also be live-blogging the conference at SIGNAL Scape.

West 2011 is co-sponsored by AFCEA International and the U.S. Naval Institute.