AUSA Annual Meeting 2026 Guide: Dates, Free Entry & Exhibits
By Ilyas Kerbal,
The AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition 2026 runs from 12 to 14 October at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Organised by the Association of the United States Army, it is the Army’s largest professional gathering, with around 30,000 attendees and more than 750 exhibits across five halls.
Senior Army leaders brief on priorities and modernisation, while defense primes and suppliers show vehicles, communications, software and services. Registration is free. This guide covers what to know and how suppliers can plan productive meetings.
AUSA Annual Meeting 2026 at a glance
| Next edition | 12-14 October 2026; 2027 expected October |
| Venue | Walter E. Washington Convention Center |
| City | Washington, DC, USA |
| Typical month | October |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Attendance | ~30,000 attendees |
| Exhibitors | 750+ exhibits across five halls |
| Industry | Defense & military land systems |
| Organizer | Association of the United States Army (AUSA) |
| Official website | ausa.org |
AUSA in a nutshell
AUSA’s Annual Meeting brings together Army leadership, soldiers, government officials and the defense industry. Contractors exhibit vehicles, weapons systems, communications, software and services, and senior Army leaders give keynote briefings on priorities and modernization.
It is the main place for industry to understand Army requirements and meet program offices.
Where and when to find AUSA
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC.
Does it change location? No. Washington, DC every October.
Washington Monument framed by cherry blossoms. Photo by Andy He on Unsplash.
Who you’ll meet at AUSA
- Army leaders and soldiers
- Defense primes and suppliers
- Program offices and acquisition officials
- Government and congressional staff
- International delegations
Expect a focused community where relationships matter more than booth traffic. A short, filtered list of the right organisations and people is worth more than any number of badge scans.
Your booth is booked. Is your target list? I build enriched AUSA attendee and exhibitor lists so your team can book meetings weeks ahead. Ask about AUSA
Industries and niches covered
- Ground vehicles and weapons systems
- C4ISR, communications and networks
- Software, AI and autonomy
- Logistics and sustainment
- Training and simulation
- Soldier equipment
Why B2B teams should care about AUSA
AUSA is where industry hears directly from Army leadership about where budgets and programmes are heading. Program offices, acquisition officials and defense primes all attend, and many partnerships between primes and smaller suppliers start in these halls.
For small and mid-size defense companies, the most valuable contacts are often prime contractor teams and program office staff rather than senior officers. Knowing which organisations are sending people lets you target teaming conversations instead of hoping for chance encounters.
Should you go to AUSA?
Best for: vendors with a clear niche inside the defense community who want to meet its leaders in one place.
Less ideal for: broad lead-generation campaigns. At AUSA, a short list of well-chosen meetings beats a large booth with no plan.
AUSA ticket prices
| Option | Price / details |
|---|---|
| Also good to know | Free, registration required |
| Also good to know | Some seated events and social functions are ticketed separately |
| Typical cost | Free. |
Prices change between editions and by registration date, so treat these as a guide and check ausa.org before you buy.
Does AUSA have an app?
AUSA provides a digital access pass for sessions and an event app/website for the program.
From a sales point of view, the app’s main limitation is access. You see the people who chose to be visible, you can’t pull them into your CRM, and once the event ends the data usually disappears with it.
Pros and cons of AUSA
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free registration | Government procurement cycles are long |
| Direct access to Army leadership | Defense-specific |
| Large defense-industry presence | Compliance limits on gifts and hospitality |
How to prospect at AUSA
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early planning | Pull the attendee, exhibitor and speaker lists and score them against your ideal customer profile. |
| Pre-show outreach | Contact your top tier personally and your second tier with a short sequence. Aim to book meetings, not booth visits. |
| On site | Work from a printed or mobile list of priority accounts and use breaks and evening events for warm introductions. |
| Post-show | Follow up fast, share what you promised, and keep the list for next year’s edition. |
Government attendees have strict rules on gifts and hospitality. Keep invitations simple, such as a meeting at your booth or a short briefing, and avoid anything that looks like entertainment.
No export button in the event app? I deal with that part. Ask for the AUSA list with names, titles, companies and LinkedIn profiles in one file.
Frequently asked questions
When is AUSA Annual Meeting 2026?
12-14 October 2026; 2027 expected October. Dates can shift, so confirm on the official website (ausa.org) before booking travel.
Where is AUSA held?
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC.
Does it move? No. Washington, DC every October.
How much does a AUSA ticket cost?
Free. See the pricing table above for pass types.
Who attends AUSA?
Mainly army leaders and soldiers; defense primes and suppliers; program offices and acquisition officials; government and congressional staff.
Can I get the AUSA attendee list?
Event organisers rarely sell attendee lists. Prospector builds one for you from the event app and website: attendees, exhibitors and speakers, enriched with job title, company, company size, industry, LinkedIn profile and work email where available, delivered as a CRM-ready file before the event. Ask about AUSA here.
Get the AUSA attendee list
If AUSA is on your calendar, the best time to build your target list is now, while there is still time to book meetings. Contact me on Prospector with the event, your target roles and your CRM, and I’ll tell you what I can deliver and how fast.
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Photo credits
- Cover image: Photo by Caleb Perez on Unsplash
- In-article image: Photo by Andy He on Unsplash
Sources
Event details were last checked in October 2026. Dates, venues and prices can change, so confirm them on the official event website.