This September, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, headlines the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference & Exhibition (ETC), joining senior Department of Defense leaders responsible for research, engineering, acquisition, science, and critical technologies.
For military personnel, government civilians, and defense professionals, ETC offers an opportunity to hear directly from the leaders shaping the future of the Joint Force and the technologies that will define tomorrow's battlefield.
This year’s program features one of the strongest speaker lineups in the conference’s history. Joining General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are other senior Department of Defense leaders, including The Hon. Emil Michael, Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering; The Hon. Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment; The Hon. Michael Dodd, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies; and The Hon. Joseph Jewell, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science & Technology. Together with military leaders, acquisition professionals, and technology experts, these speakers provide attendees with direct insight into the priorities driving defense innovation. To simplify the approval process, NDIA offers an attendance justification template for government personnel seeking supervisory approval.
The technologies shaping tomorrow’s national security environment are advancing faster than ever. Artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, quantum technologies, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, cyber capabilities, and digital engineering are redefining how the United States prepares for emerging threats. Maintaining a strategic advantage requires more than technological breakthroughs. It requires collaboration.
No single organization can solve today’s national security challenges alone. Government defines mission requirements and operational priorities. Industry transforms ideas into deployable capabilities. Academia conducts the research that fuels breakthrough technologies while developing the scientists, engineers, and innovators who will sustain the defense industrial base for decades to come. When these communities work together, innovation moves faster from concept to capability.
That is the purpose behind the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference & Exhibition (ETC).
The collaboration extends well beyond the keynote stage.
ETC’s Exhibit Hall showcases the latest technologies from established defense companies, emerging businesses, research organizations, and universities. It is where attendees can experience new capabilities firsthand, engage directly with innovators, and discover solutions addressing the Department of Defense’s most pressing challenges.
The conference also offers Industry-Government One-on-One Meetings, giving companies scheduled opportunities to meet directly with government organizations to discuss mission needs, technology capabilities, and future opportunities. These focused conversations help bridge the gap between operational requirements and commercial innovation, often leading to lasting partnerships.
Another signature feature is the Global Defense Hackathon, which brings together warfighters, acquisition professionals, software developers, engineers, researchers, students, and industry innovators to solve real-world defense challenges. By combining operational experience with technical expertise, participants demonstrate how multidisciplinary collaboration can rapidly produce practical solutions for national security.
ETC is further strengthened through its co-location with the NDIA and Society of Defense Financial Managers (SDFM) Data Analytics & Decision Support (DA/DS) Conference. While ETC explores emerging technologies and defense innovation, DA/DS focuses on how data analytics, artificial intelligence, and modern financial management are transforming decision-making across the defense enterprise. Together, the conferences recognize that maintaining a technological edge requires not only innovative capabilities, but also the business systems, acquisition strategies, and financial processes needed to field and sustain them.
With a single registration, attendees have access to sessions across both conferences, allowing them to build a customized agenda spanning emerging technologies, acquisition, financial management, enterprise analytics, and decision support. The combined event offers a broader perspective on the interconnected challenges facing the defense community while creating even more opportunities to collaborate across disciplines.
Join the defense innovation community this September and experience why ETC is the premier destination where collaboration drives capability. Find out more at www.NDIATechExpo.org