TechNet Rocket City 2026

The 2026 conference marks NTSA’s 60th anniversary and centers on the U.S. Army lead-service theme, “Beyond the Battlefield: Training Readiness and Lethality for All-Domain Dominance!” The program combines executive presentations, technical papers, tutorials, professional development workshops, special events, and Next Big Thing talks focused on modeling, simulation, training, education, AI, autonomous systems, synthetic environments, operational test and evaluation, acquisition modernization, digital engineering, digital twins, cyber and information warfare, and the defense industrial base. Featured content includes an Industry Keynote by Brandon Tseng, President & Co-Founder, Shield AI; a Featured Government Keynote by Amy Henninger, SES, Ph.D., Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), DoW; and senior-leader discussions involving LTGEN Austin, USMC; MAJ GEN Cropsey, USAF; and MAJ GEN Smith, USSF. Special events include the Congressional M&S Caucus; Digital First discussions on defense acquisition through AI, digital engineering, simulation, and digital twins; Building an AI Ready Military Force; a Naval Aviation Flag Officer Panel; NATO mission-space digital twins; Air Force maintenance training; cyber, electromagnetic, wargaming, and information warfare; and program briefs on training acquisition and the All-Domain Marine. The program also includes perspectives from government, industry, academia, and international partners.

The program focuses on training readiness and lethality for all-domain dominance, with papers, tutorials, workshops, special events, and exhibits on modeling, simulation, training, and education. Topics include military AI and autonomy; synthetic training; digital engineering and digital twins; defense acquisition and sustainment; wargaming; human performance and extended reality; cyber and electronic warfare; and skilled-trades workforce development for national security. Senior-leader discussions address translating operational needs into training capabilities, acquisition priorities, military AI, and service modernization. Other sessions cover NATO mission-space digital twins, small-arms direct-fire science and technology, data-driven readiness, and digital engineering ecosystems. The conference is hosted by the National Training and Simulation Association, an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association. Attendance is open to Five Eyes partners, NATO member countries, and countries that profess neutrality.

The forum focuses on the Army Aviation Roadmap and the industrial base, sustainment, and acquisition. Its program includes discussion of Army transformation and the organic industrial base, with opportunities for briefings involving project managers, Army aviation transformation and future-capability leaders, original equipment manufacturers, and other industry leaders. Professional sessions address the industrial base, the Army Aviation Roadmap, sustainment and the organic industrial base, acquisition, integration of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Maneuver Air portfolio, force modernization, the operating environment, the Pentagon landscape, and future warfighting concepts. Exhibit-hall open-mic panels cover cargo; attack and reconnaissance; utility aircraft; uncrewed aircraft systems; next-generation command and control; AMCOM sustainment; counter-drone systems; aviation mission systems and architecture; tactical aviation and ground munitions; and MV-75 Cheyenne opportunities.

Provides first-class professional military development, facilitates sharing of emerging requirements and technologies, and helps fuel connections that advance the cause of airpower and spacepower.

The summit gathers Air Force and Space Force modeling, simulation, and analytics experts to learn about new initiatives and techniques and consider how modeling and simulation can move more training from the real world to digital. It provides a forum for shared information and connection across military services, the Department of War, industry, academia, and international partners. Focus areas include AI, machine learning and cloud; augmented, mixed, extended and virtual reality; analytics; digital engineering; healthcare simulations; joint coalition; multi-domain environments; and test evaluation and experimentation. Panel themes include senior leadership, Digital Space Range, NCO, Resilient, Ready & Responsive Airmen and Guardians, and Partner to Win. The summit also includes an industry exhibition and classified briefings.

The conference program covers policy, governance, and global strategy for integrating autonomy across air, ground, and maritime domains, including counter-UAS authorities, AI governance, regulatory harmonization, spectrum allocation, and infrastructure readiness. Strategic Resilience addresses cybersecurity, geopolitical disruption, constrained access to critical components, NDAA and FCC covered-list procurement requirements, export controls, battery supply chains, and critical materials. Technology in Motion focuses on AI-driven perception, advanced propulsion, sensor fusion, collaborative autonomy, swarm coordination, counter-UAS systems, AI/ML certification, and verification and validation. Enterprise Operations & Ecosystem Integration examines domestic production, manufacturing readiness, MRO, reshoring, contract and additive manufacturing, vertiport integration, maritime logistics, digital twins, and production scaling. Autonomy in Action covers procurement, BVLOS and Part 108 operations, grants, venture capital, public-private partnerships, and commercial deployments. AUVSI Defense programming addresses maritime autonomy, national security and warfighter requirements, counter-UxS, appropriations, and fielding trusted systems at scale.

The 2027 forum theme, “Resilience in a Changing World,” examines tools, approaches, and breakthroughs intended to strengthen resilience across aerospace, defense, and the broader engineering enterprise amid rapid technological and global change. The program combines technical sessions focused on research and technologies addressing specific problems with plenary and Forum 360 sessions on issues affecting aerospace. It serves civil, commercial, and national security sectors and connects academic, industry, and government professionals. Featured speakers include James Kenyon, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate; Daniel Hettema, Director of Digital Engineering, Modeling & Simulation at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and Sha-Chelle Devlin Manning, Chief of Commercial Strategy at DARPA.

A premier aerospace R&D forum exploring the science, technologies, and capabilities transforming aerospace. The 2027 theme, “Resilience in a Changing World,” focuses on adaptation and innovation across aerospace, defense, and the broader engineering enterprise. Featured speakers include Tim Costa, Vice President and General Manager for Industrial and Computational Engineering at NVIDIA; Kerri Phillips, Technical Director for Missiles at Hanwha Defense USA; Will Roper, Founder and CEO of Istari Digital; and Brig. Gen. Douglas P. Wickert, USAF, Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

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.