MOSA FOR DEFENSE & WARFARE SUMMIT

$99.6 billion, representing approximately 26% of the Department’s total investment funding ($384.3B), is requested for Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) in FY 2026. Under U.S. law—specifically 10 U.S.C. § 4401 (formerly 2446a)—all MDAPs must be designed and developed using a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to the maximum extent practicable. This is no longer just a technical preference; it is a strategic mandate to counter rapidly modernizing adversaries. In his November 2025 memorandum, “Transforming the Warfighting Acquisition System,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth identified MOSA as a primary lever for “accelerating the speed of relevance.” The Secretary has directed the Department to aggressively prioritize the delivery of modular systems to break vendor lock, foster competition, and ensure that the U.S. maintains a lethal technological edge through rapid, incremental upgrades. MOSA is the cornerstone of the Department’s plan to prioritize adaptability, allowing for “plug-and-play” capability swaps in hours, not years, to accelerate innovation and lower life-cycle costs. This year’s summit focuses on the operationalization of these mandates, providing you with the direct insights needed to navigate the new Warfighting Acquisition System (WAS) and the shift toward portfolio-based management

This year’s MOSA for Defense & Warfare Summit brings together leaders from across the DoD, industry, and academia at the forefront of MOSA implementation. Attendees will gain insights into how these organizations are implementing this critical strategy and the resulting benefits.

The summit will explore how MOSA is driving enhanced competition, innovation, interoperability, and cost-effective system design and delivery through open system development. By enabling easier and more cost-effective addition, removal, and replacement of components and subsystems, MOSA enhances program agility and reduces costs. This year’s event will delve into MOSA’s impact on key areas such as Space and Directed Energy. Attendees will also hear the role of Intellectual property laws play in MOSA and hear from the perspective of a Tri service panel. Connect with senior leaders and join the critical discussion around implementing open systems across the DoD.

DSI’s team specializes in the extensive research and development of our Summits’ content and focus areas, and we will assemble the most respected minds in modular open systems approaches across the DoD, industry, and academia.  Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all services and organizations to bring together a truly holistic group of decision makers and solution providers.

Gain Education & Insight: Walk away with knowledge gained from our senior level speakers on some of the complex challenges facing the MOSA community.

Build Partnerships: The agenda is designed to allow for ample networking opportunities and the ability to engage in constructive dialogue among all in attendance.

Influence: Help foster ideas! Share your own insight and knowledge during our interactive sessions. All attendees are encouraged to address our speaker faculty and each other with their questions, comments or ideas.

DSI’s Summit directly supports DoD and Government priorities by providing a conduit for officials to efficiently reach audiences outside of their respective offices that directly impact their department’s mission success, at no charge to the government, and in an efficient expenditure of time.

DSI’s Summit will provide a forum to address and improve internal and external initiatives, meet with and hear from partner organizations, disseminate vital capability requirements to industry, increase visibility within the larger community, and generally support their mission.

The Summit is open and complimentary to all DoD and Federal employees and is considered an educational and training forum.

(Industry and academia members are charged a fee for admission)

Summit is CLOSED TO PRESS / NO RECORDINGS