Shreveport, LA — The 2026 Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Capability Showcase offered more than a glimpse at emerging technology. It provided the forum for Leaders, organizers, and attendees to find real pathways between ideas and operational capability. Over two days in Shreveport, Louisiana, just a short drive to the Major Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, the Showcase brought together military leaders, innovators, community partners, and small businesses around a single shared goal: get useful capabilities into the hands of warfighters faster.

From an original pool of 114 applicants, 18 finalists were selected to present their solutions, demonstrate equipment, and engage directly with decision-makers across three major Air Force entities: AFGSC, Air Mobility Command (AMC), and the Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO). The result was an event fusing innovation with collaboration, making a compelling case for how strong partnerships can turn ideas into real-world impact.

Moving at the Speed of Relevance

The Showcase was created around urgency. Brig. Gen. Peter Bonetti, Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements at AFGSC, reinforced this tone early with his opening remarks, stressing that today's security environment demands faster ways to identify, test, and field solutions. The Showcase exists precisely to compress that timeline. Rather than waiting on lengthy acquisition cycles, decision-makers can see promising technologies up close and collaborate directly with the people behind them. The 18 finalist companies had already proven themselves, reiterated Bonetti, "They're amazing already. They're already winners, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do next."

Bonetti also spoke to the broader value of convening military organizations, industry partners, universities, and local communities under one roof. "Partnership with small and medium businesses that we see coming in here and showing that innovative spirit, showing that entrepreneurship, showing what America's really all about. That continues to make me so proud to be here today."

Beyond the White Paper

For those working inside the acquisition process, one of the event's most practical contributions was simple: it replaced slides with substance. Major Travis Farris, Branch Chief for Requirements in the Rapid Capabilities Division at AFGSC, said watching companies demonstrate their capabilities in real time changed the nature of the conversation. Finalists also took advantage of the collaborative environment to connect with one another and explore robust combined solutions. "It's so cool to see these companies work together,” remarked Farris. “We're jointly trying to figure out what is the ideal end state and how can we work this together.”

A Cross-Command Conversation

The Showcase's underlying purpose was built on the idea that innovation doesn't happen in isolation and neither should the search for it. Representatives from AFGSC and AMC were candid about the fact that while their missions differ, many of their challenges are shared, and forums like this one create space to solve them together.

Trey Morris, Director of Staff at Eighth Air Force, put it plainly: "The Capability Showcase that's done here annually is so pivotal, and it matters so much to the warfighter at Eighth Air Force. We need pipelines of innovative thought that can bring these capabilities in a rapid fashion to our warfighters."

Brig. Gen. David Fazenbaker echoed that sentiment from the AMC perspective. "To the folks who are presenting, and the vendors, thank you. Forums like this allow us to get rapid capability to the field faster. Our solutions in AMC share similarities with those in Global Strike. Thank you for what you do to help the nation and our warfighters as they're out there executing every single day."

Bridging Ideas and Impact

For SBCC, which co-organized the event alongside the Rapid Capabilities Division, the Showcase represented something that's harder to manufacture than it looks: genuine access. Chad Gallagher, VP of Commercial Engagement and Integration at SBCC, noted that government partners come away with exposure to technologies and industry relationships they hadn't had before.

"These events bring them all together,” said Gallagher. “Major Commands can partner on topics and leverage each other's funding and technical expertise to really take these technologies and make them better. We're forward-thinking, looking one – three – five years out into the future on how can we adapt these technologies to support multiple enterprise-wide level entities across the Air Force."

Gallagher was direct about what that translates to operationally: "SBCC, along with the Rapid Capabilities Division for Global Strike Command and our other partners, have really been able to tap into key pathways for new tech to reach the hands of the warfighter quickly, when they need it the most."

A Forum Worth Repeating

By the close of the two-day event, the 2026 Capability Showcase had done exactly what it was designed to do: create meaningful connections between mission needs and emerging solutions. More than a technology event, it became a forum for collaboration, shared learning, and forward momentum.

Major Farris summed it up simply: "If I had one takeaway, it's just this: The Showcase was an amazing experience, and I'd love to see more of these going forward."

For military leaders, industry innovators, and community partners alike, the message was equally consistent. When the right people come together around a common purpose, innovation moves faster and reaches further.

Real Impact

Our Commercial Capabilities Showcases continue to deliver measurable results by connecting innovative industry solutions with critical military needs. Across six showcases supporting three MAJCOMs, more than 300 companies competed to bring their technologies to the warfighter. These efforts have directly led to 17 government-industry contracts valued at more than $40 million, demonstrating the showcase's ability to accelerate capability delivery and create lasting impact.