Phoenix Challenge® 2026

2026 Draft Agenda

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

PHOENIX CHALLENGE® 2026 MARCH 23-25

Information Operations: Evolving for Strategic Dominance –

Integrating Capabilities, Forging Alliances, and Executing with Precision

MONDAY MARCH 23, 2026

CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT

ARLINGTON, VA

7:00am – 8:00am

Exhibitors

 

8:00am – 8:15am

Welcome - Office of IO Policy

 

8:15am – 8:45am

Keynote

 

8:45am – 10:00am

CCMD/Service Panel - Evolving for Strategic Dominance

 

10:00am – 10:45am

Break
Coffee Break Exposure Sponsor (TBA)

 

10:45am – 12:00pm

IO and the INDSG/NDS priorities

 

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Lunch
-Lunch Exposure Sponsor (TBA)
-Lunch Presentation

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Intel Support to IO

 

2:30pm – 3:00pm

Keynote

 

3:00pm – 3:30pm

Break
Coffee Break Exposure Sponsor (TBA)

3:30pm – 4:45pm

Strategic Communications

 

4:45pm – 5:00pm

Close

 

 

TUESDAY MARCH 24, 2026

CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT

ARLINGTON, VA

7:00am – 8:00am

Exhibitors

 

8:00am – 9:30am

Cyber, AI and IO Influence

 

9:30am – 10:00am

Keynote

 

10:00am –10:30am

Break
Coffee Break Exposure Sponsor (TBA)

10:30am – 12:00pm

Allies and Partners

 

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Lunch
-Lunch Exposure Sponsor (TBA)
-Lunch Presentation

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Senior NCO Panel

 

 

2:30pm – 3:00pm

Break
Coffee Break Exposure Sponsor (TBA)

3:00pm – 4:30pm

Determining Acceptable Risk for IO OR

Influence Campaigning

4:30pm – 4:45pm

Updates

 

4:45pm – 5:00pm

Closing

 

 

UNCLASSIFIED WORKING GROUPS

WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 2026

CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT

ARLINGTON, VA

8:30am – 1:00pm

Institutional Evolution. This working group will generate PME thesis recommendations for IO, develop IO TTX/Wargame requirements, and explore future IO workforce organization/categories.

Acquiring AI to improve influence activities. This working group will define AI capability requirements for influence activities, provide recommended Policy guidance inputs, develop guidelines (guardrails) to govern the use of AI-generated output in influence activities and provide knowny AI training and education opportunities.

IO Assessments. This working group will discuss best assessment best practices and provide feedback on the IO assessment capability.

Additional Presentations. There will be additional presentations that offer valuable insights and specialized knowledge for Information Operations professionals.

 

CLASSIFIED WORKING GROUPS

WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 2026

PENTAGON

7:30am – 8:30am

 

Pentagon Visitor Center

8:30am – 1:00pm

Intel Support to IO (S//REL FVEY)

IO and Deterrence

S//REL FVEY/NATO/SGP/JPN. Real world intelligence brief and notional TTX.

11:00am – 1:00pm

U.S. Council of Colonels - INDSG/NDS priorities

12-1:00pm w/ DDGO and DPIOA (subject to their availability)

DoD conference ID #20260300000