Panel II, titled “Unmanned Systems and the Future of the Naval Domain,” was chaired by Brigadier General (Ret.) Hans Damen, member of the International Consultative Board of the New Strategy Center and former Head of the Taskforce Logistics / J4 of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. The panel featured the following speakers: Admiral (Ret.) Ihor Kabanenko, former Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine (via VTC), Vice Admiral Mihai Panait, Chief of the Romanian Naval Forces, Mr. Greg Melcher, Chief Operations Officer at the Center for the Study of New Generation Warfare, USA, and Mr. Oscar Rojas, Vice President for Global Operations at Ocean Aero, USA.

The speakers highlighted that the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the strategic importance of naval drones, emphasizing Kyiv’s success in regaining control over the Black Sea coastline and destroying approximately 30% of the Russian fleet in

the region. These systems, capable of being launched from unprepared coastlines, have proven highly effective in conducting asymmetric operations, maintaining a constant threat through surprise attacks, and forcing the Russian fleet to retreat to more distant naval bases. Operable from both land and sea, these drones leverage artificial intelligence and advanced sensors to optimize navigation, accelerate operational execution, and enhance targeting precision, even in GPS-jammed environments. Looking ahead, the development of underwater drones is expected to further expand these capabilities. However, the speakers warned that despite rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, the development and deployment of drones are hindered by bureaucratic obstacles at the state level, limiting the ability to swiftly adapt to the evolving demands and dynamics of modern warfare.