26 - 30 April 2026
National Harbor, Maryland, US

SPIE Defense + Security program

Make plans to be part of this powerful gathering of conferences, courses, industry programming, and special events

Building a robust program, year after year

Participate in the leading conference for sensing, imaging, and photonics technologies for the defense and security communities. Review the conference topics to see which research area best aligns with yours. We look forward to seeing you in National Harbor.

Featuring mission-critical conference topics


Putting focus on topical areas with application tracks
Application tracks list presentations on a topical area with broad-range interest so that participants can easily locate presentations in their area of interest. Learn more 

What the Defense + Security event experience has to offer


Five days of exciting content and connecting with your community

  • Plenary talks
  • Technical presentations
  • Networking sessions
  • Course instruction
  • Professional development
  • Industry programming

Person standing at a clear podium giving a presentation during an SPIE event, with a screen in the background displaying Tuesday Track Plenary.

Defense + Security Awards


Innovation and research acknowledged

SPIE and supporting organizations recognize contributions that have been made by experts, and honor their accomplishments with the annual Defense + Security awards.

See who won in 2025 and make plans to participate in 2026.

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