Inside Future Force Capabilities 2026: Scaling Speed, Production, and the Next Generation Force

Warfare is entering a new phase—where innovation happens in real time, and emerging technologies move from concept to deployment at unprecedented speed. At the 2026 Future Force Capabilities Conference, leaders across defense and industry explore what it takes to keep pace. Recorded live at the conference, Mary-Edens McAbee speaks with conference organizers and technology leaders working across munitions, autonomy, and manufacturing. She is joined by Nick Perry, Jeff Janey, Pete Paulin, Chris Millson, and John Williams to examine how emerging priorities are accelerating the development of next-generation capabilities while placing new demands on the industrial base, acquisition processes, and the workforce responsible for operating them. A central theme throughout the conversation is the growing importance of speed—not only in how technologies are developed, but in how quickly they can be produced, integrated, and put into use. Speakers return repeatedly to the idea that many of the necessary capabilities already exist, but the challenge now is scaling them effectively and getting them into the hands of operators. Drawing on observations from current conflicts, including Ukraine, the episode underscores how rapidly evolving operational environments are reshaping expectations for development timelines and feedback loops between operators and industry.For updates on our content, sign up for our weekly mailer: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-upREGISTER: 2026 NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition September 8-10, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington DC Convention Center: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, early access to upcoming events, inside scoops, & more:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eti-emerging-technologies-instituteTwitter: https://x.com/EmergingTechETIFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI/And for more podcasts, articles, & publications on emerging technology, check out our website at: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/#DefenseInnovation #IndustrialBase #Autonomy #FutureForce #DefenseTech