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    Program

    AUVSI Defense is a mission-essential forum focused on aligning U.S. military priorities with the trusted technologies, acquisition pathways, and industrial base capacity needed to deliver autonomy at speed and scale.  The program emphasizes capture strategy, acquisition reform, procurement and funding as the levers that turn innovation into operational capability. 

    Through sessions led by defense officials, program executives, acquisition experts and technology leaders, attendees gain a clear view of capability gaps, transition pathways and emerging opportunities across air, ground, maritime, space and cyber domains. 

    Whether you’re developing new systems or navigating procurement, AUVSI Defense provides the insight and access to strengthen the industrial base, align with America First priorities and accelerate mission-ready autonomy into the hands of the warfighter.

    Register now

    Day 1 – Industrial Strength and Strategic Imperatives

     America First Arsenal for Autonomy: Policy, Funding, and Capture Pathways  

      • Opening Keynote
          • Congressional Perspectives: Funding Autonomy and Strengthening the Supply Chain 
          • Delivering Mission Readiness Through Trusted Autonomy 

      • Panel
          • Mission-Ready Acquisition: Translating Unmanned Systems Capability into DoD Contracts
          • From Urgency to Action: Innovation, Policy, and the Autonomy Arsenal
          • Building the Arsenal: Operationalizing America First Industrial Base Strategy
          • America First Supply Chains: Strengthening the Industrial Base for Autonomy
          • Capture-Ready Autonomy: How Green UAS is Shaping the Trusted Defense Ecosystem
          • Fueling the Future Force: Venture Capital Alignment with DoD Priorities
          • Forging the Arsenal: Growth Capital and Strategic Partnerships for Autonomy
          • The Small Business Pathway: From Prototype to Program of Record
          • Follow the Funding: What the Defense Budget Signals for Autonomy, Acquisition and Capture Strategy

    Day 2 – Scaling Autonomy for America’s Mission Readiness

     

      • Opening Keynote Roundtable
          • Delivering Speed, Scale and Trust: The Autonomy Imperative

      • Panel
          • Scaling Autonomous Solutions to Meet Urgent Needs
          • America First, Allied Strong: FMS and the Future of Autonomy Exports
          • Mission-ready autonomy at the Tactical Edge
          • Unlocking Markets: ITAR, EAR, and the America First Pathway for Defense Exports
          • Financing the Arsenal: How EXIM Bank Powers Defense Export Culture
          • Cloud, Code, and Kill Chains: Infrastructure for the Next Generation of National Defense
          • Enabling Trusted Autonomy: Vision-Based Navigation and Certifiable AI for Mission-Ready Operations
          • Mission-Ready Aviation: Product Manager Perspectives on Capability Needs and Capture Opportunities

    Featured Speakers

    COL Danielle Medaglia

    Project Manager

    U.S. Army

    LTC Hunter Gray

    Product Manager, Launched Effects

    U.S. Army

    LTC Jeffrey Bess

    Product Manager, Tactical UAS

    U.S. Army

    LTC Kevin Stramara

    Product Manager, ACT UAS

    U.S. Army

    LTC Michael Carroll

    Product Manager, Small UAS

    U.S. Army

    AUVSI Defense Steering Committee
    • Hank Adams, Booz Allen Hamilton
    • Tom Bailey, Advanced Technology International (ATI)
    • John (“JC”) Coffey, Cherokee Nation Federal
    • Randall Culpepper, Leidos
    • Thomas Deale, Northrup Grumman Corporation
    • Matt Dooley, Forterra
    • Dorothy Engelhardt, US Navy
    • Jordan Fletcher, Hypergiant
    • Stu Hatfield, US Army G8
    • Orin Hoffman, The Engine
    • Rob Holzer, Herren Associates
    • Heather Hopkins, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
    • Dan Imbat, Shield AI
    • Barbara Lindauer, Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Autonomy Programs
    • Chris O’Donnell, O2 Defense
    • Chris Orlowski, Anduril Industries
    • Thomas Reynolds, Reynolds Strategies, LLC
    • Warren Sponsler, NAMC – The National Advanced Mobility Consortium
    • Jim Thomsen, Seaborne Defense, LLC
    • Ron Tremain, Airbus Helicopters
    • Mat Winter, Winter Strategic Solutions
    Featured Voices from Past AUVSI Defense Events
    • Joe Courtney
      House Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Sea power and Projection Forces Subcommittee: (D-CT) US House of Representatives 
    • Jim Langevin
      Senior Member of House Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee; (D-RI) US House of Representatives 
    • Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory 
    • Major General Michelle Link
      Commanding General, 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command  
    • Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan
      Vice Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command    
    • Vice Admiral Brad Cooper 
      Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command 
    • Michael Kuenzli 
      Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation
    • Brent Ingraham 
      Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Platform and Weapons Portfolio Management- Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment 
    • Doug Beck 
      Director, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) 
    • Dr. Amy Sunshine Smith-Carroll 
      Director Surface Warfare, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment Department of Defense 
    • Dave Adams 
      Director – Warfighting Effectiveness, Assessments, and Readiness (CPF N9WAR) 
    • Michael Stewart
      Director, Disruptive Capabilities Office 
    • Dr. Matt Turek 
      Deputy Director Information Innovation Office (I2O) at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 
    • Sue Gordon  
      Former Principal Deputy Director,  National Intelligence 
    • CAPT Colin Corridan  
      Commodore Task Force 59, Commander Unmanned and Artificial Intelligence Integration 
    • Acting Chief of Responsible AI, U.S. Department of Defense 
    • Captain Justin Quinn 
      Director of NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Innovation Coordination Cell (MUSIC^2) & Secretary of the NATO Joint Capabilities Group for Maritime Unmanned Systems (JCGMUS)
    • Acting Principal Director for Trusted Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering 
    • Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition 
    • Principal Military Deputy Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) 
    • Dorothy Engelhart 
      Director, Unmanned Systems, for Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Ship  
    • Steve Kinskie
      Executive Director, J35, Defense Logistics Agency  
    • John Garstka
      Director, Cyber Warfare, DASD (Platforms & Weapons Portfolio Management) OUSD(A&S) 
    • Stu Hatfield 
      Deputy Division Chief, Human-Machine Integration Division, Army G8 
    • Director, AFWERX 
    • Russell Bailey
      Deputy Director, Daniel K. Inouye AsiaPacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) 
    • Rob Monto
      Technical Director, Army Rapid Technology Capabilities Office (RCCTO), U.S. Army 
    • David Michelson
      Director, Autonomy Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)  
    • Captain Pete Small  
      PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants, PMS-406, US Navy  
    • Dr. Steven Rogers 
      Senior Scientist, Air Force Research Laboratory 
    • WGCDR Keirin Joyce
      Chief Engineer RPAS, Royal Australian Air Force  
    • Technical Director, Ocean, Atmosphere & Space Research Division, Office of Naval Research, U.S. Navy
    • Don Sheehan 
      Contingency Operations & Disruptive Capabilities Lead, Program Executive Office, Unmanned Aviation & Strike Weapons, U.S. Navy 
    • Chief Systems Engineer, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition 
    • Dr. Bob Sadowski 
      Senior Scientist for Robotics Research, Technology and Integration Directorate, DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center, U.S. Army 
    • Dr. Thomas Apker 
      Chief Scientist, Globally Contested Logistics and Supply Chains, MITRE 
    • Steve Bradford 
      Chief Scientist for Architecture and Next Generation Air Transportation System Development, FAA 
    • Director, Ground Vehicle Intelligence Systems Ground Vehicle Systems Center, U.S. Army 
    • Associate Director, Ground Vehicle Robotics, U.S. Army 
    • Yudi Carmona 
      Associate Director for Industry Engagement, Office of Small Business Programs, Department of Defense  
    • Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy 
    • Deputy Director, Integrated Warfare (N9IB) , Unmanned Task Force Lead, U.S. Navy 
    • Marie Bussiere 
      Digital Transformation Executive, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport 
    • Deputy Director, Navy Unmanned Task Force, U.S.  Navy 
    • Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants, U.S. Navy 
    • Director, Warfare Integration, N9I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations 
    • Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, U.S. Navy 
    • Director, Operations & Integration, G2, U.S. Army 
    • UTM Deputy Program Manager, NASA 
    • Program Manager, Tactical Technology Office, DARPA, Senior Scientific Technical Manager, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, U.S. Navy 
    • Program Manager – PMS 408, U.S. Navy 
    • COL Ken Bernier 
      Program Manager, Future Battle Platforms, PEO Ground Combat Systems, U.S. Army 
    • Dr. Whitney Mason 
      Program Manager, Microsystems Technology Office, DARPA 
    • Deputy Program Manager, Unmanned Maritime Systems program office, PMS 406, U.S. Navy 
    • Assistant Program Manager, PEO USC, U.S. Navy 
    • Director UAS Family of Systems, U.S. Army 
    • Mine Warfare Senior Leader, PEO USC, U.S. Navy 
    • Technical Director, Expeditionary Missions PMS 408, U.S. Navy 
    • COL Danielle Medaglia 
      Project Manager Unmanned Aircraft Systems US Army  
    • PdM, Robotic Combat Vehicle  
    • LCS Mission Modules (PMS 420), U.S. Navy 
    • Chief Engineer, Naval Expeditionary Department, N234, MITRE 
    • Ronald O’Rourke 
      Specialist in Naval Affairs, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress  
    • RADM  (Ret.) Mark Montgomery 
      Senior Director & Senior Fellow Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation  
    • Deputy Director of Analysis and Research Fellow: Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology 
    • Beth Meinert 
      Senior Vice President and General Manager of MITRE Public Sector 
    • Bryan Clark 
      Senior Fellow &  Director, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology, The Hudson Institute 
    • Dr. Henrik Christensen 
      Qualcomm Chancellor’s Chair of Robot Systems at Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering UC San Diego Director of the Contextual Robotics Institute 
    • Director of Autonomous Systems Mission Area, MIT Lincoln Labs 

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