By George Kaminsky

The Association of the US Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition opens today at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, and runs through October 14. The theme this year is America’s Army: The Foundation of the Joint Force, and AUSA says the show will include keynotes and forums from Army and Department of War leaders, plus more than 750 exhibits.

Breaking Defense says the Army arrives with new leadership, under acting Army Secretary Adam Telle and acting chief of staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve, and with a major question hanging over the service: how much of its modernization agenda will survive intact. The outlet also plans to examine what the Army’s new autonomy command means for its growing focus on drones and robots.

That command, the US Army Futures and Autonomous Systems Command, was ordered in a recent memo from Telle. The same memo directs autonomous capabilities into at least six formation areas by fiscal 2028.

• Uncrewed and counter-drone systems: Shephard Media expects uncrewed platforms, and the systems built to defend against them, to feature prominently. It also expects bids for the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, the planned Bradley replacement, to be on show.
• AM General will show an autonomous ground vehicle, a redesigned HUMVEE and a JLTV A2 carrying counter-drone systems at Booth 1925.
• Colt will be at Booth 7547, saying it wants to align with Army and federal law enforcement lethality needs.
• Parsons is pitching AI and machine learning, electronic warfare and counter-unmanned aircraft work.

Attendance estimates vary by source, from roughly 30,000 to more than 40,000 visitors. Registration for the Annual Meeting is free but required. ORBATMag will follow the announcements that come out of the show floor this week.

Sources: AUSA; Breaking Defense; US Army; Shephard Media; Soldier Systems (Colt); Parsons.