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The United States is at a critical inflection point in defense manufacturing. As global threats intensify and modernization timelines tighten, the Pentagon is confronting the hard limits of an industrial base built for a different era. From shipbuilding delays to workforce shortfalls and brittle supply chains, the challenges are real, and so is the urgency. In this keynote, a senior defense official will lay out how the Department is working to close these gaps through targeted investments in infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and industrial capacity. The discussion will spotlight new efforts to scale production, align supply chains with operational demand, and partner more effectively with industry to deliver capabilities at the speed the current threat environment requires.

The Pentagon is racing to define the future of air and space dominance through a new generation of autonomous systems, AI-powered software, and high-altitude capabilities. As demand grows for faster decision-making and greater operational flexibility, the Department of Defense is rethinking how it acquires, tests, and deploys emerging technologies across these critical domains. In this session, senior officials will break down the modernization priorities shaping the air and space tech landscape—from drones and uncrewed systems to software-defined platforms and AI-enabled targeting. The conversation will explore how the DoD is aligning acquisition strategies with mission needs, what it takes for new and established vendors to compete in this space, and how the department plans to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving global tech race.

America’s defense industrial base is facing a moment of reckoning. As global conflict drives demand for weapons, platforms, and sustainment at scale, the Department of Defense is reassessing how and how fast the nation can produce. This conversation will examine how DoD leaders are working to build a more agile, resilient, and secure industrial base through updated policy, expanded public-private collaboration, and new investments in domestic manufacturing and workforce capacity. Speakers will discuss both immediate priorities and long-term strategy, including how the Pentagon plans to align production capabilities with future mission requirements in an increasingly competitive global environment.

The rapid pace of global military operations has laid bare a critical weakness in the U.S. defense posture: munitions stockpiles are too low, and the industrial base is struggling to keep up. As precision weapons are consumed faster than they can be replaced, the Department of Defense is confronting the hard limits of a system built for peacetime demand. This session will explore how the Pentagon is responding to what many now consider a full-scale munitions crisis. Senior leaders will discuss ongoing efforts to expand production capacity, modernize facilities, diversify suppliers, and streamline acquisition pathways. They will also examine the role of commercial manufacturing, new technology integration, and policy shifts aimed at building a more responsive and resilient munitions pipeline for the future fight.

 As the defense market shifts, legacy contractors and emerging tech firms are navigating an increasingly complex landscape of competition, collaboration, and cultural friction. This session will explore how traditional and nontraditional players are working together or choosing their own paths as they race to deliver next-generation capabilities. Leaders will discuss the challenges of blending speed and scale, the role of OTAs and innovation hubs in bridging gaps, and how the Department of Defense is rethinking acquisition models to create a more flexible and trusted vendor ecosystem.

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Enjoy some light hors d'oeuvres and take a moment to network with your peers before we come back together for the next round of programming.

Space is becoming the decisive domain for national security, shaping how the United States and its allies deter conflict, protect infrastructure, and project power. With adversaries advancing counterspace weapons and commercial innovation accelerating, the military faces urgent questions of resilience, acquisition, and strategy. The future of space is not only about satellites and launches but also about how defense leaders adapt operations, partnerships, and procurement to compete in a contested environment. This discussion will explore what lies ahead for space in the national security enterprise, including priorities for building cyber-resilient systems, strengthening alliances, and adopting emerging technologies such as AI-enabled analytics and commercial launch platforms. It will also examine how the Department is balancing immediate operational demands with long-term investments, and how the evolving space domain is reshaping the defense industrial base.