WASHINGTON – The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2025 Annual Meeting and Exposition, recognized as the premier land warfare conference and trade show in North America, commenced on Monday, October 13, 2025, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This marquee event, spanning three days through Wednesday, October 15, draws an unprecedented gathering of military, to showcase cutting-edge military technologies, foster international collaborations, and address pressing strategic imperatives for the U.S. Army and its allies.
With over 780 exhibits spread across five expansive halls totaling more than 500,000 square feet of floor space, the exposition serves as a vital platform for industry leaders, military officials, policymakers, and innovators to exchange ideas and demonstrate advancements in land power capabilities. Attendance has surged to more than 44,000 participants, including delegates from 92 nations, underscoring the event's global reach and its role in uniting the defense community to shape national security strategies. This year's gathering is particularly significant, occurring against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions, rapid technological disruptions, and lessons learned from ongoing conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
The theme for AUSA 2025, "Agile, Adaptive, Lethal: Winning at the Pace of Change," encapsulates the U.S. Army's urgent push toward modernization. It reflects a doctrinal shift emphasizing speed, flexibility, and lethality in response to near-peer adversaries like China and Russia, who are investing heavily in hypersonics, artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and cyber warfare. Army leaders have repeatedly stressed that the pace of technological change demands a cultural and operational overhaul, moving away from protracted acquisition cycles that have historically lagged behind innovation curves.
The opening ceremony, held in the convention center's grand ballroom, set a tone of resolve and urgency. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, in his keynote address, described the current moment as "an inflection point" for the service branch. Appointed to his role earlier in 2025 amid a wave of defense reforms under the Biden-Harris administration's final months and transitioning into potential policy shifts, Driscoll emphasized the need to dismantle bureaucratic inertia and legacy systems that hinder progress. "Technology is rapidly and fundamentally changing our world. Our adversaries are harnessing it to change the very nature of warfare. We must change or become obsolete," he declared to a packed audience of uniformed personnel, industry executives, and international guests.
Driscoll's remarks drew direct parallels to real-world battlefields, particularly highlighting Ukraine's agile adoption of drone technology since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian forces have demonstrated remarkable ingenuity, iterating drone software updates every few weeks to counter evolving threats, integrating commercial off-the-shelf components with military-grade enhancements. "At the very least, the Army’s technology should match the modern tools soldiers use in their everyday lives," Driscoll asserted. He decried the deployment of outdated equipment, stating, "It is absolutely unconscionable that we would send soldiers to war with 30-year-old obsolete systems. This is the inflection point where we turn it all around."
This critique aligns with broader Army initiatives like the ReARMM (Reform the Army Acquisition and Resourcing for Modernization Model) program, which aims to streamline procurement and reduce timelines from years to months. Driscoll pointed to investments in multi-domain operations, where land forces integrate seamlessly with air, sea, space, and cyber domains. Key focus areas include the Future Vertical Lift program for next-generation helicopters, the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle to replace the Bradley infantry carrier, and enhanced counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS).
A cornerstone of Driscoll's speech was the escalating threat posed by drones, which have proliferated in modern conflicts from the Middle East to Eastern Europe. Small, low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can disrupt operations, conduct surveillance, or deliver payloads with precision, as evidenced by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and ISIS tactics in Iraq. "Defending US soldiers and the homeland against drone threats is a top priority for the Army," Driscoll said, revealing that the service is coordinating a government-wide effort. "We are leading the entire United States government to tackle this challenge." This involves collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, FAA, and allies through NATO frameworks, including joint exercises like Project Convergence, which tests AI-driven counter-drone tech such as directed energy weapons and electronic warfare jammers.
Beyond rhetoric, the exposition floor buzzes with tangible demonstrations. Major exhibitors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies (now RTX), and BAE Systems showcase prototypes: Lockheed's PrSM (Precision Strike Missile) for long-range fires, RTX's LTAMDS radar for air and missile defense, and General Dynamics' advancements in autonomous ground vehicles. Emerging tech firms highlight AI-enabled predictive maintenance, reducing downtime for M1 Abrams tanks, and blockchain for secure supply chains amid global disruptions.
International participation adds a layer of diplomatic and strategic depth. Delegates from 92 countries, including key partners like the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and Poland, engage in bilateral meetings and panel discussions on topics such as integrated deterrence and resilient logistics. The event facilitates export deals under the Foreign Military Sales program, with the U.S. Army emphasizing interoperability to strengthen alliances like AUKUS and QUAD.
Notably, Turkish defense firms Repkon and Kale Jet Engines are prominent participants, reflecting Türkiye's growing role in the global arms market despite occasional strains in U.S.-Türkiye relations over issues like S-400 acquisitions and Kurdish policies. Repkon, known for its precision manufacturing in artillery barrels and flow-forming technology, and Kale Jet Engines, a subsidiary of the Kale Group specializing in turbine engines for UAVs and missiles, occupy booths in Hall D. Their presence highlights Türkiye's indigenous defense industry push under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's vision, producing systems like the Bayraktar TB2 drone, which has seen combat success in Ukraine, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Türkiye's Ambassador to the United States, Sedat Önal, made a high-profile visit to the Turkish booths on Monday afternoon. Accompanied by a delegation of military attachés and industry representatives, Önal received detailed briefings on Repkon's advanced metal-forming techniques that enhance barrel life for howitzers and Kale's TEI-TF6000 turbofan engine developments for unmanned platforms. "Türkiye's defense sector is a reliable partner in NATO and beyond, contributing innovative solutions to shared security challenges," Önal stated in remarks to reporters. This engagement comes amid efforts to mend ties, including U.S. approval for F-16 sales to Türkiye in 2024 and joint production talks on munitions.
The AUSA event also addresses workforce and readiness gaps. Panels featuring Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George discuss talent management, aiming to recruit 500,000 soldiers annually while retaining tech-savvy talent through programs like the Army Software Factory. Diversity initiatives spotlight women and minorities in STEM roles, with exhibits on virtual reality training simulators that cut costs by 40% compared to live exercises.
Environmental sustainability emerges as a subplot, with the Army's climate strategy mandating net-zero emissions by 2050. Electric tactical vehicles from Oshkosh Defense and solar-powered forward operating bases are on display, aligning with broader DoD goals amid criticisms over fuel vulnerabilities in contested logistics.
Economically, AUSA injects millions into Washington, DC's economy, with hotels booked solid and ancillary events like VIP receptions at the nearby Willard InterContinental. Security is paramount, with enhanced screenings and cyber defenses, given past incidents at defense expos.
Day one concluded with warrior's corner sessions where soldiers shared frontline stories, emphasizing human-machine teaming. Tuesday's agenda includes a address by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (retired), focusing on budget priorities in the FY2026 request, which seeks $850 billion for DoD, including $12 billion for Army modernization.
As the exposition unfolds, it reinforces the Army's narrative: in an era of great power competition, agility isn't optional—it's existential. With adversaries advancing at breakneck speed, events like AUSA are crucibles for forging the lethal force needed to deter and win. International booths, like those of Turkish firms, remind attendees that global partnerships are key, even as domestic reforms take center stage.
This year's record attendance signals renewed commitment post-COVID recoveries and amid recruitment rebounds. Over the next two days, deals will be inked, strategies refined, and alliances strengthened, all under the banner of adaptation. For the U.S. Army, the message is clear: evolve swiftly or risk irrelevance in tomorrow's wars.
