Today, the next edition of the biennial FUTURE FORCES FORUM (FFF) was to begin at the PVA EXPO PRAHA exhibition centre, including the Future Forces Exhibition, expert panels, and official meetings of the NATO working groups.

The international events and networking, originally planned for 21-23 October, will not take place this year due to the negative development of the epidemiological situation. After considering all the circumstances, this decision was made in accordance with the position of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic as the most important institutional partner of the FFF project.

Picture: FUTURE FORCES FORUM (FFF) is postponed to April 2021 | archive of FFF / Public domain

At a meeting between the organizers and the Minister of Defence, H.E. Lubomír Metnar, at the beginning of October, it was decided to postpone the 14th FFF to 28-30 April 2021. "With regard to the negative development of the epidemiological situation not only in the Czech Republic and the associated measures preventing or significantly restricting travel, personal meetings and the organization of mass events, we jointly concluded that under such conditions the successful course of all planned events is endangered and the usual high level of the FFF cannot be guaranteed," said Adam Drnek, Executive Director.

Picture: FUTURE FORCES FORUM has been held under the auspices and with support of the President of the Czech Republic, the Parliament, government institutions and international organizations, including NATO and the European Defence Agency (EDA). | archive of FFF / Public domain

FUTURE FORCES FORUM has been held under the auspices and with support of the President of the Czech Republic, the Parliament, government institutions and international organizations, including NATO and the European Defence Agency (EDA). The main program will take place from Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 April and includes international exhibition, conferences, workshops, round tables, bilateral meetings, or indoor and outdoor dynamic demonstrations. As usual, the FFF will also hold official meetings of NATO expert working groups, whose members are actively involved in the program.

Picture: FFF includes international exhibition, conferences, workshops, round tables, bilateral meetings, or indoor and outdoor dynamic demonstrations. | archive of FFF / Public domain

"Our main goal is the utmost and long-term satisfaction of all FFF participants. We firmly believe that this difficult decision will be widely understood and perceived as the right step, above all to protect the health of all participants, and to avoid inefficient costs due to constraints which unfortunately affect the level of participating official delegates, traders and experts, which is crucial for the successful course of the FFF," added Adam Drnek in regard to the postponement to April 2021.

The event addresses latest trends and needs in defence and security area, industry, R&D and academia, and helps to achieve the much sought-after interoperability in worldwide joint peace operations. Special focus is given to support the Alliance’s core tasks, such as addressing issues relating to soldier equipment & protection, training & simulation, future Land Forces, future Air Force, CBRN & medical, counter-terrorism, unmanned systems & robotics, and other. Another important aim is to facilitate active engagement with partner countries, international organizations, law enforcement and other security forces, private sector, academia as well as other relevant stakeholders across the globe.

More information is available at the FFF website www.future-forces-forum.org or at the exhibition website www.natoexhibition.org