This Minelines issue provides registration and logistics details for the upcoming mine warfare conference in Panama City FL on May 5-8, 2003. The theme for this conference is "Sea Mine Warfare: Second Assessment Update".

This conference follows a similar theme as the July 2001 conference in Panama City. We have a robust, tentative agenda to discuss, with presentations and remarks by senior Navy and Marine Corps leaders, including the CNO (Admiral Vern Clark, USN), COMLANTFLT (Admiral Bob Natter, USN), the USMC PLANS AND PROGRAMS OFFICER (Lieutenant General Buck Bedard, USMC), the OCEANOGRAPHER OF THE NAVY (Rear Admiral Tom Wilson, USN) and COMINEWARCOM (Rear Admiral Paul Ryan, USN).

This conference is co-sponsored by Coastal Systems Station, Panama City FL and the Naval Postgraduate School Undersea Warfare Research Center.

As mentioned in the Minelines issue of December 2002, a number of key conceptual studies and concepts have been published on sea mine warfare issues since our July 2001 conference, including the following:

• December 2001 PEO MUW study titled "End to End Assessment of Organic Mine Countermeasures Operations and Communications in 2007"

• February 2002 CINCLANTFLT (now COMLANTFLT) study on "Mine Warfare: The Way Ahead"

• October 2002 CNO U. S. Naval Institute Proceedings article titled "Sea Power 21: Projecting Decisive Joint Capabilities"

• November 2002 U. S. Naval Institute article titled "Sea Shield: Projecting Global Defensive Assurance"

• January 2003 U. S. Naval Institute article titled "Access Is Not Assured" by Admiral Robert J. Natter, USN

Additionally, COMINEWARCOM will address his future vision for mine warfare during our conference. Join us for an important and enjoyable mine warfare conference!!!

This Minelines also announces an upcoming demining conference (EUDEM 2) in Brussels, Belgium in September 2003. This conference is sponsored by the Society for Counter-Ordnance Technology, with co-sponsorship from the Mine Warfare Association. The international situation permitting, we expect GEN James L. Jones, USMC, the new Supreme Allied Commander, Europe to deliver one of the keynote addresses. There will also be senior individuals from the European Union and NATO.