Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Eric Patton, President of Ares Technology and GVSETS Deputy Chair

Hear Eric and Jeffrey discuss GVSETS, defense innovation, Michigan manufacturers, emerging technology and opportunities in the defense market in the SoundCloud podcast shared below:

Jeffrey had several things he wanted to find out in this interview:

• Welcome Eric, first share with our Michigan business community what GVSETS is?

• You served as co-chair of this year’s GVSETS. What was your role in putting the three-day symposium together, and what did you most want attendees to take away from the event?

• GVSETS brings the military, major defense companies, smaller manufacturers, technology companies, and universities into the same room. Why is that kind of collaboration so important to Michigan businesses looking to compete in the growing defense market?

• A major theme this year was connecting new technology with the real needs of the military. What opportunities did you see for Michigan companies, particularly smaller businesses, to turn their technology or manufacturing capabilities into defense contracts?

• Artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing were all part of the conversation. Which of those areas do you see creating the biggest near-term opportunities for Michigan businesses?

• Now that the 2026 symposium is over, what comes next? How do you turn the conversations and connections made at GVSETS into actual partnerships, investment, new contracts, and growth for Michigan’s defense and manufacturing industries?
  
  

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ABOUT GVSETS:
 Presented by the NDIA Michigan Chapter, the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium (GVSETS) is the nation’s premier forum for the ground systems community to collaborate on the future of military mobility and defense technology. Now in its 18th year, the conference brings together leaders from government, industry, academia, and the military to showcase emerging technologies, discuss modernization priorities, and address critical capability gaps facing today’s Warfighters. The event features technical presentations, networking opportunities, and one of the industry’s largest defense-focused trade shows.

As the Pentagon Turns Back to Detroit, America’s Military Mobility Industry Converges at GVSETS 2026

National spotlight on Southeast Michigan grows as the region that built the Arsenal of Democracy prepares to host North America’s premier military ground vehicle engineering symposium.

NOVI, Mich., July 2026 /PRNewswire/. Eighty years after Detroit became the Arsenal of Democracy, the Pentagon is once again turning to the region that helped win World War II.

As USA marks its 250th anniversary, Southeast Michigan has reemerged as the nation’s most strategically important manufacturing region. Reporting by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Automotive News has documented the Department of Defense’s renewed engagement with Detroit automakers as it works to strengthen USA’s defense industrial base.

GM Defense is developing the Infantry Squad Vehicles (ISV) as a next-generation tactical vehicle to replace older platforms under a new Mobile Brigade Combat Team, while manufacturers and emerging technology companies alike are exploring new opportunities in defense.

For companies wanting to enter this rapidly expanding market, one event has become the front door. GVSETS 2026, the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium, returns August 11-13 at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, Michigan. Hosted by the NDIA Michigan Chapter, it is the premier event dedicated exclusively to military ground vehicle engineering and technology.

The symposium takes place in the global epicenter of mobility, just miles from the U.S. Army’s Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) and the DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center in Warren, MI. Together, these organizations manage and sustain approximately 60% of the Army’s equipment. If a Soldier drives it, shoots it, or wears it, it is sustained from here. That single fact makes Southeast Michigan vital for military ground
vehicle innovation.

“Every generation gets one moment when industry and mission need each other completely,” said Col. (Ret.) Thom Green, GVSETS Chairman. “This is ours. USA is strengthening its 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 reflects a changing defense marketplace. Alongside Army leadership, engineers, prime contractors, and international partners, venture capital firms will participate for the first time, underscoring the growing convergence of commercial technology, private investment, and national security.

“The Army is opening the door wider than ever,” said Eric Patton, GVSETS Deputy Chair. “Alongside the primes we’ve always relied on, there’s now demand for mature commercial technologies that can be adapted and fielded quickly. If your company builds technology that can make military ground vehicles smarter, more survivable, or more capable, this is where
the conversation begins.” 

With thousands of attendees representing government, industry, academia, and allied nations, GVSETS has become USA’s most influential gathering for military mobility. 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.

Agenda & Speakers: ndia-mich.org/gvsets-2026-agenda
About GVSETS
Now in its 18th year, the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology
Symposium (GVSETS) is North America’s premier event dedicated to military ground vehicle engineering and technology. Hosted annually by the NDIA Michigan Chapter, GVSETS convenes over 3000+ leaders and 280+ exhibitors from government, industry, academia, and allied nations to advance the technologies that strengthen the future of military mobility.

About NDIA MI Chapter
The NDIA Michigan Chapter has supported America’s warfighters since its founding in 1944.
As a nonprofit organization committed to fostering collaboration between government, industry, and academia, NDIA MI serves as a vital connector within the defense community. 
Its leadership ensures that Michigan remains indispensable to advancing national security objectives. For info, visit: ndia-mich.org

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National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Michigan Chapter’s GVSETS provides the opportunity to network and share technical research to more than 2,500 attendees. GVSETS will be held August 11 – 13, 2026, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

NDIA Michigan Chapter is dedicated to enhancing and modernizing warfighter capabilities, while finding solutions for gaps which are becoming more aggressive and complex. The first day of GVSETS brings together technical experts from government, academia, and industry who will present research in specific topic areas where gaps have been identified, then open up the floor for discussion purposes. The focus of this year’s GVSETS technical sessions is presenting technology which supports the U.S. Military’s future ground maneuver concepts, systems, and formations.

In support of the Technical Sessions, all scientists and engineers are invited to submit papers which provide the ground maneuver and logistics community with increased understanding of technology. Technical paper topics can be found here.