International defense companies brought a range of air and ground vehicles to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington for this year’s Association of the United States Army conference.
The largest annual trade show of its kind in the United States draws thousands of attendees. The 2026 expo features a broad range of drones and counter-drone technologies, alongside larger military equipment. Here are some of the scenes captured on the first day.
Service dog greets attendees
Patriot, a dog being trained for placement with a wounded veteran after completing its training, greets visitors outside the Shield AI booth.
Brawlr: a reconfigurable air-defense launcher
Sierra Nevada displayed its Brawlr air-defense system, a battery-powered, revolving, reconfigurable weapons launcher. The exhibit included both the system and a close-up view of one of its munitions.
Electric vehicles and artillery shells
Oshkosh presented an electric Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Hanwha Defense USA displayed 155 mm artillery shells.
Surveillance systems and vertical-takeoff drones
AEO Night Hawk Systems brought a surveillance assembly whose sensors tracked people moving nearby on the show floor.
Suspended above attendees was AeroVironment’s VAPOR, an uncrewed, single-rotor helicopter with all-electric propulsion and vertical takeoff and landing capability.
Lunar tires and specialized rifle optics
Goodyear showcased a sturdy, unusually designed tire intended for lunar exploration.
Colt Optics drew a crowd of attendees to a display featuring a wall of assault rifles fitted with specialized optical systems.
