The Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium, or GVSETS 2026, will center on a changing defense marketplace in military ground vehicle engineering and technology.
Taking place from Aug. 11-13 at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, and hosted by the NDIA Michigan Chapter (National Defense Industrial Association), GVSETS will include industry, government, academia, and allied nations to advance the technologies of military mobility.
The symposium reflects metro Detroit as a global epicenter of mobility.
In addition to the automotive industry and a broad spectrum of manufactured products, the U.S. Army’s Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) and the DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center in Warren, together manage and sustain approximately 60 percent of the U.S. Army’s equipment.
“If a soldier drives it, shoots it, or wears it, it is sustained” from the region and state, according to program officials.
“Every generation gets one moment when industry and mission need each other completely,” says Col. (Ret.) Thom Green, chairman of GVSETS. “This is ours.
“(We are) strengthening the defense industrial base, and that requires more than the traditional defense community. It requires manufacturers, engineers, and innovators willing to solve problems that matter. GVSETS brings those communities together.”
This year’s symposium, alongside U.S. Army leadership, is geared to engineers, prime contractors, and international partners; venture capital firms will be there for the first time.
“The U.S. Army is opening the door wider than ever,” says Eric Patton, deputy chair of GVSETS. “Alongside the primes we’ve always relied on, there’s now demand for mature commercial technologies that can be adapted and fielded quickly. If a company builds technology that can make military ground vehicles smarter, more survivable, or more capable, this is where the conversation begins.”
As national attention returns to Detroit’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities, the symposium offers an opportunity to connect directly with the organizations shaping the future of America’s ground forces, say program organizers.
For more information about exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities, ndia-mich.org.
