Defense Industrial Base Update: Navigating DoW’s Expansion Initiatives

The meeting brings together leaders from the Department of War, industry, manufacturing institutes, and academia to address the future of American defense manufacturing. Program themes include industrial surge and production capacity, supply-chain resilience, advanced manufacturing, manufacturing modernization, and priorities for strengthening the Defense Industrial Base. The format includes high-level briefings, panel discussions, and fireside chats with senior leaders.

The forum focuses on Army Aviation Maintenance & Sustainment and the Organic Industrial Base, including opportunities for Corpus Christi Army Depot and industry to partner on business opportunities and improve awareness and efficiency. Program topics include global aviation supply-chain depth and preparing for peace and war; advanced manufacturing; the Army Materiel Command Organic Industrial Base Integration Office; public-private partnerships; shared challenges and opportunities in the Defense Industrial Base; Army Materiel Command priorities; and the risks and rewards of artificial intelligence in the Defense Industrial Base.

The briefing explores evolving Navy priorities and how Oklahoma capabilities can contribute in strategic deterrence, aviation sustainment, advanced manufacturing, autonomy, emerging technology, and the broader defense industrial base. It is intended to help industry, military, academic, and government partners understand the challenges the Navy is working to solve and align Oklahoma’s people, infrastructure, and capabilities with future mission needs. The program includes a fireside chat.

The program aligns U.S. military priorities, executive-order implementation, congressional funding, acquisition pathways, industrial-base capacity, and operational requirements for uncrewed systems. Sessions address defense acquisition reform; FY27 funding and investment signals; the Drone Dominance Program; domestic manufacturing capacity and supply-chain resilience; small-business pathways into defense markets; and export markets, financing, and export controls. Other themes include Army and Air Force autonomy fielding, congressional oversight, lessons from Ukraine, maritime security, undersea infrastructure, and scaling uncrewed surface and undersea systems. The program identifies Executive Orders 14265, 14268, 14307, 14372, and 14415 among the policy frameworks discussed. Featured speakers include Admiral Thomas Allan, Jr., Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; William Kimmitt, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade; and Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering and Department of War Chief Technology Officer. Registration is restricted to U.S. citizens and citizens of allied or partner nations; the event is closed to media.

Focuses on moving Indo-Pacific strategy into implementation through operational readiness, deterrence, forward force posture, alliances and partnerships, defense industrial capacity, and regional economic resilience. Themes include delivering combat power forward through speed, scale, and sustainment; coalition integration and networked deterrence; mobilizing industrial capacity; decision advantage through AI, data, and the information domain; and securing supply chains and strategic resources. Discussion topics include distributed logistics and sustainment, forward maintenance and repair, space-enabled sensing and missile defense, information-sharing and interoperability, integration of Pacific Island nations, production and repair acceleration, acquisition and contracting authorities, allied industrial capacity, private investment, operational uses of AI and data, and manufacturing and energy investments that reduce strategic vulnerabilities. The forum emphasizes operational examples, identifying barriers to execution, connecting industry and venture capital with government needs, and developing actionable recommendations for policymakers, planners, and industry.

The conference examines U.S. competition with China across advanced industries and the policy changes ITIF says are needed to protect U.S. technological leadership, economic strength, and national security. Sessions address China’s industrial and geopolitical position; emerging techno-industrial challenges in biopharmaceuticals, commercial aviation, and robotics; and obstacles to long-term investment in strategic industries. Other discussions consider political momentum for a comprehensive response, structural changes to federal science and innovation funding, strategic trade partnerships involving joint R&D and coordinated export and import controls, the War Department’s role in economic statecraft, and lessons from the post-1948 national security establishment.

The dialogue covers government updates on matters affecting U.S.-Japan defense industry cooperation, including the two new administrations and key players; joint U.S.-Japan DICAS and U.S.-led multilateral PIPIR activities; Industry Base Policy; and U.S.-Japan defense cooperation. The event is closed to press/media.

The program focuses on weapon-system maintenance and sustainment, readiness, and defense industrial base revitalization. Plenary and breakout sessions examine acquisition authorities and faster capability delivery; domestic manufacturing, industrial-base investment, and workforce capacity; contested logistics and forward maintenance; munitions lifecycle management; resilient supply chains; and the application of AI, advanced manufacturing, software, and digital engineering to sustainment. Specific discussions include the Portfolio Acquisition Executive authorities under the Warfighting Acquisition System; the Major Weapon Systems and Critical Munitions Readiness Campaign Plan; EO 14415 supply-chain mapping and illumination; and public-private co-production, technical data and right to repair, intellectual property, and capital requirements for industrial-base expansion. The Weapon Systems Software Summit covers applied AI and autonomous systems, DevSecOps and software factories, cybersecurity and Zero Trust, digital engineering, data and cloud architecture, acquisition policy, and workforce and talent management. Associated forums address corrosion prevention, provisioning and cataloging, defense working-capital funds, depot capabilities, allied co-sustainment, and supply-chain risk management. The program also includes a Maintenance Innovation Challenge and a co-located Maintenance and Logistics Exhibition with a Maintenance Yard.

A B2B event focused on aerospace and defense supply chains, manufacturing capabilities, services, and technologies. Suppliers, service providers, engineering, supply chain, procurement, and product development teams connect through pre-arranged one-to-one meetings; attendance is reserved for vetted professionals. The first day features presentations by executives and leaders covering commercial and military programs at Collins, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Topics include market-segment trends, challenges and opportunities, supplier expectations, manufacturing automation, and information integration.