2025 Defense R&D Summit | Potomac Officers Club
RegisterWHAT
In a world defined by rapid change, innovation, technology and capability are the cornerstones of global power. Join the Potomac Officers Club as we convene the nation's leading defense researchers, experts and decision-makers to explore the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of the U.S. military at the 2025 Defense R&D Summit. Engage in thought-provoking discussions, gain firsthand insights from key players and forge valuable connections at this day-long summit. Join us at this pivotal event to navigate the evolving defense landscape and chart the course for future dominance.
Speakers
Maj Gen Dennis Bythewood
Special Assistant to the Chief of Space Operations
U.S. Space Force
CW5 Jeramy Cosner
Chief Technology Officer, Network Cross-Functional Team
Army Futures Command
Michael Dean
SatCom Chief
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
Gil Herrera
Director of Research
National Security Agency (NSA)
Steven Morani
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, OSD
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
Maj Gen David Sanford
J3 Director, Logistics Operations/Commander, Joint Regional Combat Support
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Benjamin Tran
Chief
Capabilities Development Office (CDO)
Joseph Welch
Deputy to the Commanding General (Tier 3 SES)
Army Futures Command
Johnson Wu
Cyber Portfolio
Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Agenda
| 7:00am | 8:00am | Networking Reception |
| 8:00am | 8:05am | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 8:05am | 8:45am | Opening Keynote |
| 8:45am | 9:20am | Morning Keynote |
| 9:20am | 9:50am | Networking Break |
| 9:50am | 10:50am | Panel A: R&D Priorities to Deliver Trusted AI-enabled Systems for Combatant Command Missions |
| 9:50am | 10:50am | Panel B: Building the Future of Defense: Leveraging 5G and Multi-Layered Connectivity for Operational Superiority |
| 9:50am | 10:50am | Panel C: The Need for Continual Reinvention to Remain Relevant at the Tactical Edge (in Contested Environments): Maj Gen David Sanford, Steven Morani |
| 9:50am | 11:00am | Break |
| 11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel A: Critical Technologies Shaping the Battlefield: The Future of Autonomous Systems in Defense |
| 11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel B: Enhancing battlefield connectivity: the role of 5G in modern warfare: Jeramy Cosner |
| 11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel C: Preparing for a Quantum-Powered Future |
| 12:00pm | 1:00pm | Networking Lunch |
| 1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel A: Fast Forward: Operationalizing Autonomy for Real-Time Readiness |
| 1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel B: Allies and Adversaries: Navigating Global Dynamics in Defense R&D |
| 1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel C: Space: A Critical Piece of the Great Power Competition Puzzle |
| 2:00pm | 2:30pm | Networking Break |
| 2:30pm | 3:05pm | Afternoon Keynote |
| 3:05pm | 3:40pm | Closing Keynote |
| 3:40pm | 3:50pm | Closing Comments |
