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The International Defense Forum, organized by the Polish Chapter, was held in Warsaw, Poland, in April, with support from IBM and SAP. The event focused on enterprise resource planning (ERP).

Brig. Gen. Jon Rikter-Svendsen, NOAF, Norwegian Ministry of Defense,discussed the restructuring of Norwegian armed forces as a result of the 2001 decision to overhaul and reduce the military structure. Torben Klostergaared Jensen, Defense Command, Denmark, focused his presentation on the true cost of operations. Both speakers agreed that cultural change must coincide with technical change and that high data quality and interoperability are essential.

Maj. Gen. John Barry, USAF (Ret.), vice president, defense and security, SAP, Washington, D.C., emphasized the need for horizontal application with actionable knowledge. Lt. Gen. John S. Fairfield, USAF (Ret.), partner, U.S. and global defense, IBM, Fairfax, Virginia, suggested that the four dimensions of warfare—sea, land, air and space—be augmented by a fifth dimension—information—because information can be attacked, defended and used, and is therefore a true battlespace arena that warrants greater awareness.

Brig. Gen. Hans-Herbert Schultz, GEA, highlighted a strategic development project that aims to provide an overall, integrated, process-oriented solution for support. Nabil Aboutanos, Canadian Defence Forces, described the Material Acquisition and Support Information System and its applicability to improving the availability of equipment and weapon systems. Susana Mason, business consulting services solutions for defense, IBM, described her organization’s approach to the Global Information Grid and dynamic team management. The last speaker, Capt. Robert A. Bogdanowicz, USN, examined the development and introduction of the U.S. Navy’s ERP program. Cdre. Robert Howell, RN (Ret.), general manager, AFCEA Europe, chaired the final panel session, which included all of the speakers.