NDIA U.S. & Japan Defense Industry Dialogue Series

The program includes an opening keynote, four panels, a second keynote, and closing remarks. Eligibility includes AUSA members, employees or consultants of member companies, military personnel, civilian government personnel, invited guests, and non-members with an identifiable relationship with AUSA or the U.S. Army.

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.

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 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.

Discussion covers evolving industrial base cyber challenges, standards validation at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, supply-chain risk management, changes to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), and False Claims Act legal risks in cyber assurance.

The meeting focuses on transforming Department of War acquisition pathways and moving at the speed of relevance. It addresses challenges innovators, startups, and small businesses face in understanding customer needs, advancing technology with autonomy as the baseline, and communicating across customer and industry lines to develop capabilities that help warfighters complete missions more effectively.

The symposium focuses on space and missile defense, with organization updates from Space and Missile Defense Command, Space Command, Golden Dome for America’s Direct Report Program Manager, T2COM, CUAS, Northern Command, PAE Fires, the Missile Defense Agency, and space and missile defense companies. Panel themes include SPACECOM, Missile Defense System Next, International Space, INDOPACOM, industry, next-generation space and missile defense, and PAE Fires. The program also includes a technology track with technical paper presentations, a small-business showcase, and an exhibit hall featuring technology and products.

The conference focuses on Department of Defense opportunities for joint research, development, and experimentation. Collaborative workshops address challenges and emerging trends in the Indo-Pacific region. Closed sessions are held at the SECRET/REL to JPN, ROK, FRA, DEU, DEN, FVEY level; attendance is subject to clearance approval.

A Secret/NOFORN forum for aerospace and defense leaders addressing strategic, programmatic, and technical challenges, as well as policy issues affecting the aerospace and national security communities. The forum requires attendees to hold final U.S. SECRET or higher clearance.