Kuwait’s Major General Thafer Alajmi joins IADSS advisory board

Major General Thafer Alajmi (Retd), a former Kuwait Air Force base commander, has joined the 18-member Global Advisory Board for the Intelligent & Autonomous Defence Systems Summit. The appointment adds senior military and strategic expertise as defense leaders debate autonomous systems, governance and human control.

Why it matters: - Major General Thafer Alajmi’s appointment adds senior Kuwait Air Force leadership to an international advisory group focused on intelligent and autonomous defense systems. - The move comes as governments and defense institutions face growing pressure to balance military innovation with accountability, governance and human supervision. - IADSS says the board helps shape an open forum for global defense dialogue, not rules or policy.

What happened: - Major General Thafer Alajmi (Retd) was selected for the Global Advisory Board of the Intelligent & Autonomous Defence Systems Summit. - He joins 17 other military, strategic, academic and technology experts on the 18-member board. - The board includes members from 13 countries. - The announcement was made in Kuwait on Oct. 26, 2026.

The details: - Major General Alajmi has 30 years of military experience. - His background includes military aviation, operational command, training and international defense cooperation. - His Kuwait Air Force roles included Base Commander, Chief of Operations and Training, and Weapon Instructor Pilot in the F/A-18 Training Squadron. - As Base Commander, he led the establishment and development of Salem AlSabah Air Base toward operational readiness. - His duties included systems oversight, training, personnel coordination, safety standards and operational discipline. - He also served on the Steering Committee for the Kuwait Eurofighter Typhoon Programme. - His career included work as Directing Staff at the Command and Staff College and as Kuwait Air Force Liaison Officer in the United Kingdom. - His education includes graduation from the Royal Air Force College and the Royal College of Defence Studies. - He also completed executive leadership and corporate governance training at the Institute of Directors in London. - IADSS describes the board as a mix of independent military, strategic, academic and technology expertise. - The summit series is hosted across multiple countries. - IADSS brings together governments, armed forces, policymakers, defense experts, research institutions and industry. - The summit focuses on the development, operational integration and responsible advancement of intelligent and autonomous defense capabilities.

Between the lines: - The appointment signals an emphasis on seasoned operational experience, not just technical expertise, in shaping conversations about autonomous defense. - IADSS is positioning itself as a convening platform for debate around emerging military technology, rather than a standards-setting body. - The inclusion of international voices reflects rising concern over human control, accountability and legal frameworks for autonomous weapons. - The release cites renewed calls from the United Nations Secretary-General and the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross for states to act on autonomous weapon systems.

What's next: - IADSS will continue its Global Summit Series across strategic regions. - The organization says the Global Advisory Board will support ongoing dialogue and knowledge exchange. - The IADSS Network and Directory will extend year-round engagement across the defense community. - Future summit discussions are expected to center on the opportunities and risks of emerging defense technologies.

The bottom line: - Major General Alajmi’s appointment strengthens IADSS’s effort to pair autonomous defense innovation with military leadership, governance and human oversight.