Military history teaches that the future is largely unpredictable, presenting those responsible for the defense of undersea security with a spectrum of challenges. One of the keynote speakers at the UDT 2013 Conference, Vice Admiral Axel Schimpf, Chief of Staff in the German Navy, points out that in addition to the need for navies to counter international terrorism, organized crime, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and regional crises and conflicts, they also have to accommodate the fact that conflict can involve cyberspace, outer space and airspace as well as the maritime environment. This multiplicity must be approached on an integrated basis and, according to Vice Admiral Schimpf, strong navies are the best enabler.