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Military advantage is being redefined by breakthroughs in autonomy, hypersonics, AI, and advanced manufacturing. As China and Russia accelerate investments in next-generation warfare capabilities, the U.S. faces mounting pressure to move faster and rethink legacy systems built for a different era. In this keynote conversation, Dr. Jewell will examine the future of scalable hypersonics, including the shift from single-use missiles to reusable, highly maneuverable platforms enabled by major aerothermodynamic breakthroughs. He will also explore the rapid rise of robotic warfare and what it will take for the DoD to transition toward autonomous, multi-layered unmanned architectures that can operate at the speed of modern conflict. Looking ahead, he’ll highlight the scientific breakthroughs poised to shape the next decade of defense innovation, from applied generative AI to biomanufacturing and material science, and why urgency matters in the race to outpace strategic competitors.

The era of AI experimentation has given way to the era of enterprise execution. As the Pentagon moves to integrate generative models and hyperscale analytics into every facet of the kill chain, the challenge shifts from code to infrastructure. How is the CDAO coordinating with industry to ensure data readiness across the Joint Force? This panel examines the massive compute requirements, the integration of frontier models into command and control, and the roadmap for maintaining a decision advantage against near-peer adversaries.

Innovation alone doesn’t create advantage, execution at scale does. In this session, we will explore how Maximus uses an ecosystem-driven approach to transform emerging technologies into operational capabilities for defense agencies. Grounded in startup-driven innovation, the discussion will examine how large organizations can adopt faster learning cycles, rapid prototyping, and disciplined scaling models to avoid stalled pilots. We'll also explore Maximus’ emerging tech partnerships, which combine platform scale with disruptor speed to co-develop, validate, and deploy solutions that reduce time-to-impact while remaining secure, trusted, and mission-aligned.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly central to mission success, yet most architectures still assume constant connectivity to the cloud—an assumption that breaks down in contested, remote, and classified environments. This talk explores how bringing cloud capabilities directly to the point of need enables a seamless shift from centralized data centers to distributed edge environments, and ultimately to fully disconnected operations where systems continue to function without external networks. By rethinking how AI is deployed and executed, organizations can achieve real-time insight, preserve data sovereignty, and maintain decision advantage even when the network is degraded or denied.

While massive cloud models dominate the headlines, the future of the frontline may depend on "Small AI"—low-power, resilient, and autonomous systems that operate where the cloud cannot reach. From DARPA’s high-risk research to the Navy’s maritime requirements, leaders are rethinking the AI footprint. This session explores the push for "edge" intelligence, the hardware breakthroughs required for autonomous sensing, and how DOD is building AI that doesn't rely on a constant connection to home.

The conflict in Ukraine has turned the Black Sea and the Donbas into an intensive laboratory for autonomous warfare. The rules of engagement, procurement, and mass are being rewritten in real-time by cheap drones and AI-driven targeting. Joined by leaders from NATO and Ukraine’s Brave1 defense tech cluster, we discuss the shift from yesterday’s weapons to "massed" autonomy and what the West must learn from the first true robot war to prepare for the next.

The growing use of unmanned aerial systems in modern conflict, particularly Iran’s Shahed drones, has intensified attention on counter-drone capabilities, or C-UAS. These relatively low-cost systems have demonstrated how rapidly drones can alter the dynamics of the battlefield, challenging traditional air defense models and highlighting new operational vulnerabilities. In this GovExec panel, defense experts will examine the evolving role of drones in contemporary warfare and the technologies being developed to counter them. Panelists will discuss recent developments in C-UAS capabilities, lessons emerging from current conflicts, and the tools, from electronic warfare to kinetic and directed energy systems, that militaries may need to maintain a strategic edge in increasingly contested environments.

From the ocean floor to orbit, autonomous systems are the future of maritime operations. Across the seabed, the surface, cyberspace, and space, the United States Navy is revealing unmanned vessels, underwater drones, AI-powered analysis, resilient communications, and even space-based robots can unlock new levels of awareness, reach, and speed in contested environments.This conversation will look beyond today’s tools and into the breakthroughs still ahead: smarter robotic teammates, next-generation sensing, connected fleets, and the long-horizon technologies that could redefine how maritime forces discover, decide, and operate. The Navy's research leaders will discuss how autonomy is expanding operational advantage, what it takes to integrate robots across domains, and how science, experimentation, and bold technology discovery can help shape a more connected, autonomous maritime force for the future.

Now more than ever before, defense agencies are focused on developing an AI-first workforce, using these tools to improve day-to-day operations, secure systems, and deliver on high-level mission objectives. In this session, Google Public Sector’s Jim Kelly will share how Gemini for Government on GenAI.mil can be used to protect sensitive data and accelerate defense initiatives like modernizing legacy systems and improving real-time decision-making.

The traditional defense industrial base is under pressure from a new wave of nimble, venture-backed startups. For Special Operations, these fast-moving players are no longer a luxury—they are a necessity. This panel bridges the gap between the Pentagon’s policy makers and the Silicon Valley investors fueling the next generation of defense tech. We ask: Does the defense industry of the future even exist yet? And can the "fast and nimble" ethos of SOCOM scale to the rest of the enterprise?

Modern warfare is no longer shaped solely by generals and strategists. It is increasingly influenced by the investors and capital allocators determining which technologies scale and which stall. As autonomous systems, AI, and next-generation capabilities move from experimentation to reality, private capital is playing a defining role in shaping the future of conflict. This conversation will explore how venture capital, private equity, and public markets are accelerating or constraining defense innovation, where capital is flowing, and how geopolitical tensions are reshaping priorities. Leaders will also examine the challenge of aligning commercial speed with government acquisition, the risks tied to market and policy uncertainty, and what it means for the Defense Industrial Base as new entrants compete alongside traditional primes.

In an era of hypersonic glide vehicles and orbital threats, the line between space superiority and missile defense has vanished. As the Space Force matures and the Missile Defense Agency looks toward the next generation of interceptors, the role of commercial satellite constellations has become critical. This session features the architects of the nation’s orbital shield discussing the future of strategic deterrence, the integration of commercial imagery, and the reality of defending the "ultimate high ground" against a resurgent nuclear threat.

As the Pentagon looks to outpace near-peer adversaries, the strength and agility of the defense industrial base has become a strategic imperative. In this keynote, Mike Cadenazzi will outline how the Pentagon is working to bring more non-traditional companies into the fold, reduce barriers to entry, and accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies. From startups to established primes, this conversation will explore how the Pentagon is fostering a faster, more responsive innovation ecosystem capable of delivering the speed, scale, and resilience required for the next era of warfare.