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Symposium Program

Please see below the PARARI 2026 Symposium program.
* Please note the program is correct at time of publishing but is subject to change without notice as necessary.

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Day 1
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Day 3
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Tuesday 24th November, 2026

7:30am - 9:30am	Registration and Networking
9:30am - 9:50am	Opening Introduction and Welcome to Country Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel Opening Introduction CAPT Paul Yow, RAN Welcome to Country Elder Aunty Serena Williams
9:50am - 10:20am	Keynote Address Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel GWEO Landscape RADM Nigel Smith, CSC RAN – Head of GWEO Systems Division
10:20am - 10:50am	Keynote Address Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel DGEO Landscape AIRCDRE Adam Spinks, Director General Explosive Ordnance, Joint Capabilities Group
10:50am - 11:30am	Morning Tea and Exhibition
11:30am - 12:00pm	Keynote Address Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel CJC Landscape AIRMSHL Glen Braz CSC DSM - Chief Joint Capabilities
12:00pm - 12:30pm	Panel Discussion Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel Explosive Ordnance Safety Landscape from Conflict to Competition Environments - A Regulator's Perspective AIRCDRE Adam Spinks, Director General Explosive Ordnance, Joint Capabilities Group Mr Stephen Gillstroem McLean – UK Ministry of Defence Mr Gilles Belley - Director, Ammunition and Explosives Regulation - Department of National Defence (Canada)
12:30pm - 1:40pm	Lunch and Exhibition
1:40pm - 2:10pm	Session 1A – Regulation and Risk Management Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Dr Michael Sharp A Case Study for Modified QERA based on Weighting Factors for Operational Risk, Mission Urgency, Personnel and Asset Protection Mr Rhys Centin, Thornton Tomasetti Session 1B – Regulation Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Dr Kellie Greene Australian regulatory approaches to explosives – lithium batteries Mr James Robertson, Directorate Ordnance Safety Session 1C – Professional Development Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Rapid development of suitably qualified and experienced personnel in DSTG Dr Chad Prior, Defence Science and Technology Group
2:10pm - 2:20pm	Movement Break into Sessions
2:20pm - 2:50pm	Session 2A – Battery Technology / Safety and Suitability for Service Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Dr Michael Sharp Comparison of lithium ion battery thermal threat and NATO standardised fast heating threat Mr Jean-Francois Fournier, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC), Belgium Session 2B – Regulation and Risk Management / Battery Technology Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Dr Kellie Greene Proportional Approach to Weapon System Software Safety Engineering Mr Warren Miller, DDG GWEO Systems Division DENG Session 2C – Regulation and Risk Management Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Beyond simple numbers – the critical importance of accurate TNT equivalency in international explosives safety Mr Troy Gardner, Safety Management Services (US)
2:50pm - 3:20pm	Insensitive high explosives qualification Ms Elizabeth Francois, Los Alamos National Laboratories (US) Integrating innovation without compromising safety – battery energy storage system consequence modelling Mr Alex Waugh, AMOG Consulting
3:20pm - 4:00pm	Afternoon Tea and Exhibition
4:00pm - 4:30pm	Session 3A – Manufacturing Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Applying digital engineering to support the introduction into service of complex GWEO systems Miss Josephine Matthias, Australian Missile Corporation LTCOL Jon Abundo, GWEO Group Systems Division Session 3B – Storage and Distribution Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: WGCDR Tim White Proportionality in Exclusion Zones: A Physics-Based Method for Assessing Projectile Hazards from Underground Ammunition Storage Facilities Dr Edward Gan, Kellogg Brown and Root Australia Session 3C – Safety and Suitability for Service Room: Menzie Theatre Chair: Mr Andy Pickerill Energetic material qualification requirements Dr Khuong Vuong, Directorate of Ordnance Safety (Department of Defence)
4:30pm - 5:00pm	Building a sovereign rocket – Development of the Koonibba Rising vehicle and performance capabilities of a wholly Australian sounding rocket Mr Christopher Norton, Southern Launch Australia Investigation of quantitative explosive risk assessment approaches applicable to selected storage and transport scenarios of explosive ordnances in the ADF FLTLT Franz Pulikkottil, Royal Australian Air Force RF shielding effectiveness of metal ammunition boxes in EO safety applications Mr Prodip Ghosh, Directorate of Ordnance Safety (Department of Defence)
5:00pm - 6:30pm	Welcome Drinks

Wednesday 25th November, 2026

8:00am - 9:00am	Registration and Networking
9:00am - 9:30am	Keynote Address Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel Proportional Safety - A Regulator's Perspective Mr Stephen Gillstroem McLean, UK Ministry of Defence
9:30am - 9:40am	Movement Break into Sessions
9:40am - 10:10am	Session 4A – Storage and Distribution Room: Royal Theatre Chair: CDRE James Nash How nations apply TNT equivalency in QD frameworks: Balancing simplicity and scientific accuracy Dr Socrates Angelides, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC), Belgium Session 4B – Manufacturing Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Dr Khuong Vuong NIOA Benalla Industrialisation – Primary Explosives Manufacturing Part 1 – Capability Establishment Part 2 – Safety Approach and Validation Dr Emma Coen Mr Sam Brugliera Session 4C – Safety and Suitability for Service Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Hashem Matter Reframing minimum viable capability in explosive ordnance engineering Mr Christopher Donaldson, Land Explosive Ordnance System Program Office, GWEO
10:10am - 10:40am	Applying a Whole Body of Evidence Approach to Hazard Classification Mr James Robertson, Directorate Ordnance Safety cont... A data driven approach to missile captive carriage lifing Ms Mary Massiha, QinetiQ
10:40am - 11:20am	Morning Tea and Exhibition
11:20am - 11:50am	Session 5A – Test and Evaluation Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Dr Donna Capararo How the RAAF and Boeing safely fired an AIM-120 from the MQ-28 Ghost Bat in less than 12 months Mr Alistair Weir, Boeing Defence Australia Session 5B – Manufacturing Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Mr Alec Beerens PBXN-109 Vendor Change Program – Surety of supply Mr Jacob Dobbs, Thales Australia Session 5C – Safety and Suitability for Service Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Mr Matt Ferran The default HERO susceptibility trace: Validity, limitations and practical application in modern EO safety Mr David Cooling, K39C
11:50am - 12:20pm	Advanced rocket motor technology demonstrator program Mr Andrew Hart, Defence Science and Technology Group Energetic material qualification testing of new alpha cellulose board gun propellant Dr Tristan Kilmartin, Defence Science and Technology Group Novel instrumentation technique to derive critical diameter in PBXN-111 Dr Valerian Kuznetsov, Defence Science and Technology Group
12:20pm - 12:50pm	Exploding foil initiator and fire set characteristics using statistical techniques to establish firing principles in accordance with STANAG 4560 Mr Paul Wittering, Thales UK Mr Nick Kovess, Thales Australia Development of a non-toxic cannon propellant formulation for current and future large calibre applications Dr Daniel Baer, Thales Australia Energetic material qualification of Thales Australia produced PBXN-111 (AX-2002) Dr Caitlyn Neesam, Defence Science and Technology Group Mr Nicholas Buggy, Thales Australia
12:50pm - 1:50pm	Lunch and Exhibition
1:50pm - 2:40pm	Panel Discussion Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel T&E Panel Discussion AIRCDRE Simon Bird, GWEO Air Mr Ryan Esam, Rurex Mr Greg Mathams, Northrop Grumman Australia LTCOL Andrew Shipton, Joint Proof and Experimental Unit
2:40pm - 2:50pm	Movement Break into Sessions
2:50pm - 3:20pm	Session 6A – Regulation and Risk Management Room: Royal Theatre Chair: CAPT Paul Yow NATO Ammunition Recognition Program (NARP) Mr Gilles Belley, Department of National Defence, Canada Session 6B – Manufacturing Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Prof Nish Hameed Environmental impacts of explosive ordnance – Why should we care? Ms Taryn Collaton, Defence Science and Technology Group Session 6C – Safety and Suitability for Service Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Mr Chris Hollands Remote controlled fuzing – two approaches to standard compliant safety and suitability for service Mr Jakob Breiner, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC), Belgium
3:20pm - 3:50pm	Enabling proportional safety in conflict through adaptive explosive materiel limits Mrs Norah Walden, GWEO Systems Division Considerations in support of sovereign perchlorate manufacture in Australia Mr Benjamin Boyle, Flinders University Mr Julian Jones, Flinders University Keep your distance! Safe separation and no-arm distance for fuzes Mr Matthew Ferran, Department of Defence
3:50pm - 4:20pm	Afternoon Tea and Exhibition
4:20pm - 4:50pm	‎ Symposium Product Brief Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Prof Nish Hameed Use of RF to Emulate Explosive Effects Mr Don Williams, Layer 3 Services Symposium Product Brief Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Mr Chris Hollands An Innovative Australian Explosive Ordnance Storage System Mr Michael Wright, InQuik International
6:30pm - 10:40pm	Symposium Dinner

Thursday 26th November, 2026

8:00am - 8:30am	Registration and Networking
8:30am - 9:00am	Keynote Address Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel Proportional Safety: Adapting Ammunition Safety Assurance from Competition to Conflict Mr Gilles Belley - Director, Ammunition and Explosives Regulation - Department of National Defence (Canada)
9:00am - 9:30am	Panel Discussion Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel Munitions Safety International Analysis Center (MSIAC) - Who are MSIAC? What are the technical service offerings provided by MSIAC? What does proportional safety from within competition to conflict environments look like from a MSIAC perspective? Mr Chris Hollands, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) Mr Jakob Breiner, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) Dr Socrates Angelides, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) Mr Jean-Francois Fournier, Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC)
9:30am - 10:10am	Morning Tea and Exhibition
10:10am - 10:40am	Session 7A – Risk Modelling Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Dr Ali Ameri Physics based modelling of earth covered magazine breakup and consequences using ammunition and explosives consequence analysis tool (AECAT) Mr Neil McCormick, Lloyd's Register Advisory, Canada Session 7B – Regulation / Storage and Transport / Test and Evaluation Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: Ms Lydia Batholomew Appropriate Prioritisation of High Consequence Hazards CAPT Paul Yow RAN, Director, Ordnance Safety – Department of Defence Session 7C – Test and Evaluation / S3 Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: Mr Andrew Hart Energetics material models for air domain GWEO Mr Damion Hadcroft, QinetiQ Australia Mr Jason Anglberger, Defence Science and Technology Group
10:40am - 11:10am	Practical application of the ammunition and explosives consequence analysis tool (AECAT) Mr Christopher Heron, Canadian Department of National Defence From Data to Decision: Designing for Evidence Sufficiency in Test and Evaluation Mr Adam Leer, Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group Proportional safety outcomes improved by the generic guided weapon architecture Mr Luke Serfas, Australian Missile Corporation Dr Daniel Clayton, Australian Missile Corporation Dr Robert Porter, Defence Science and Technology Group
11:10am - 11:40am	Warships in harbour – consequence advice for decision makers Dr Michael Netherton, Karagozian & Case Safe to arm, ready to fight: Evolving fuze systems for modern defence Mr Benjamin Campion, JUNGHANS Microtec GmbH – Germany EMRNet: Advancing Australia's energetic materials capability for future sovereign GWEO challenges Prof Nish Hameed, Defence Science and Technology Group Prof Martin Johnston, Flinders University
11:40am - 12:10pm	The Field Deployable Explosive Siting and Licensing Tool Mr Rhys Centin, Thornton Tomasetti Australia From competition to conflict: Designing explosive ordnance infrastructure for proportional risk Mr Billy Durrant, BG&E Australia A low cost hybrid electronic nose for the detection and classification of explosive vapours Dr Adrian Garrido Sanchis, University of New South Wales MAJ Ian Thomson, Australian Army
12:10pm - 1:20pm	Lunch and Exhibition
1:20pm - 1:50pm	Session 8A – Risk Modelling Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Mr James Robertson Characterising blast induced injury: State-of-the-art experiments and predictive modelling and simulation Mr Asher Gehl, Karagozian & Case Session 8B – Safety and Suitability for Service Room: Bradman Theatre Chair: From R&D to ADF capability: Proportional safety and evidence based assurance for weapon certification Dr Michael Sharp, Defence Science and Technology Group Session 8C – S3 / Test and Evaluation Room: Menzies Theatre Chair: LTCOL Ashley Nurick Hidden Risks in Sovereign Munitions Manufacturing - Applying AS IEC 62443 to Ensure Production Readiness from Competition to Conflict Mr Alfonso Sanzo, GPA Engineering
1:50pm - 2:20pm	Maintaining compliance with Defence criteria and safety standards as EO operations expand beyond the Commonwealth Property Boundary Ms Lizzy Dobson, ACOR Consultants Electro-explosive hazards in the ADF: Addressing the quiet threat of organisational memory loss Mr David Cooling, GWEO Systems Division NIOA Benalla industrialisation: Environmental test facility capability Mr Sam Brennan, NIOA Australia
2:20pm - 2:50pm	Explosive Ordnance storage in constrained sites – challenges and responses Ms Julie Green, GHD Pty Ltd Lightning as an electro-explosive hazard in an Army context MAJ Matthew Reid, Land Explosive Ordnance Systems Program Office – GWEO
2:50pm - 3:30pm	Afternoon Tea and Exhibition
3:30pm - 4:00pm	Keynote Closing Address Room: Royal Theatre Chair: Tim Gavel AIRCDRE Adam Spinks, Director General Explosive Ordnance, Joint Capabilities Group
4:00pm	Symposium Close

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