The topics of 2020 edition were: Autonomous any Systems/AI in Context of Future Warfare and Security Environment (Concepts, Applications, Standards, etc.); M&S of Intelligent Systems – R&D and Application; Future Challenges of Advanced M&S Technology.

The participants were welcomed by the messages of the NATO M&S CoE Director Colonel Michele Turi and the Dean of Faculty of Military Technology, University of Defence Colonel Vlastimil Neumann. Colonel Turi during his warm welcome and introductory message stated: "This is not the first time the Modelling and Simulation Center of Excellence organized such kind of event in a virtual and digital environment. Last Computer Aided Analysis Exercise Experimentation Forum is an example; this signs an important milestone in our organization. Nowadays, due to the pandemic outbreak, the new challenge is related to the re-organization of all our consolidated activities in a new digital way".

As every year, MESAS conference is the venue to show important achievement, to present new projects and to get together in one fell swoop the community being dealing with autonomous systems. Stakeholders and subject matter experts from around the world shared experiences, expertise and lesson learned in plenary, workshops and breakout sessions dedicated to improving Modelling and Simulation topic related areas. The event is the right place for the promotion and the exchange of information as well as best practices among SMEs.

MESAS is an Inter-domain and Multi-disciplinary exchange of knowledge within M&S, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems and Robotics areas of interest, a scientific event with peer-reviewed proceedings (published by Springer). MESAS is the right venue for Creating an annual discussion and presentation platform for the latest R&D achievements and connecting an academic, scientific, military and also industrial community. The idea to create a community of interest focused on M&S in support to the Autonomous Systems as well as the possibility of merging the two different communities of interest, M&S and autonomous systems, is more beneficial for research and development and for military operations every day dealing with an increasing number of unmanned vehicles.