Agenda

The Air Force has rapidly progressed on its first collaborative combat aircraft, going from concept to first flight in just 16 months. Now, the service is looking at the second round of its drone wingman completion and has incorporated the robot drone concept into its future fighter jet plans. What innovations does the Air Force want to see from industry on future CCAs while still balancing cost expectations? What will the integration of drone wingmen mean for future combat operations?

The Air Force has worked quickly to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s acquisition reform mandates. In addition to announcing new program acquisition executives, the service has named an Air Force general as a portfolio manager for critical major weapons systems, reporting directly to the Office of the Secretary of Defense on major programs such as the Sentinel and Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, the B-21 bomber, the F-47 fighter jet, and the VC-25B presidential aircraft. Does Air Force leadership believe these changes will lead to more affordable and effective defense programs? This panel will examine that question and more.

As space becomes an increasingly critical domain for military operations, the United States and its allies are facing a more congested, competitive, and contested orbital environment. From counterspace threats and debris risks to the growing reliance on space-enabled intelligence, communications, navigation, and missile warning, space is now inseparable from modern deterrence and warfighting. In this session, senior military leaders and space policy experts will examine how the U.S. is preparing for operations in a contested space environment. The conversation will explore evolving threats from peer competitors, the role of resilience and deterrence in orbit, and how military and commercial partnerships are reshaping space architecture. Panelists will also discuss what it means to operate, defend, and sustain space capabilities in an era where space superiority can no longer be assumed.

The Army’s modernization initiative, Transformation in Contact, is dramatically changing how the service handles acquisition—allowing contractors to bring their tech to soldiers in the field, take feedback, and make changes on the spot. In just the first iteration of the initiative, soldiers tested 360 unmanned aerial systems, 800 mobility systems, 50 counter-UAS systems, 20 persistent lower-orbit communications systems, and 10 electronic warfare systems. And now the Army has expanded the program to more units throughout the service. In this panel, Defense One will speak to leaders about what they’ve learned so far, and what the future holds for Army tech.