Shadow Warrior Association Tech Expo 2026
Executive Summary
The Shadow Warrior Association (SWA) Tech Expo is an annual Special Operations Forces (SOF) communications and technology event hosted by the alumni association of the 112th Signal Battalion (Special Operations, Airborne) — the U.S. Army’s only airborne signal battalion. The 2026 edition runs 8–10 June at the Iron Mike Conference Center, Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
This is not a large commercial defense expo. It is a tight, operationally-focused gathering of approximately 20–50 exhibitors and several hundred attendees, held on-post at the home of U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). The audience is primarily SOF signal professionals, requirements holders, and C4ISR leadership from Fort Liberty’s tenant units. For industry, it offers direct access to the SOF communications buying community at a fraction of the cost and noise of SOFIC or AUSA.
Key Details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Shadow Warrior Association Tech Expo |
| Dates | 8–10 June 2026 |
| Location | Iron Mike Conference Center, 2658 Reilly Road, Fort Liberty, NC 28310 |
| Host Organization | Shadow Warrior Association (SWA) — 501(c)(3) nonprofit |
| Associated Unit | 112th Signal Battalion (Special Operations, Airborne) |
| Event POC | COL (RET) John McLaughlin, SWA President |
| Website | 112swa.org |
| Registration | Via Eventbrite (link provided after application submission) |
Schedule
Monday, 8 June 2026
- 10th Annual Tommy Lee Smart SWA Golf Tournament ($500 per team sponsorship)
Tuesday, 9 June 2026 — Expo Day 1
- 12:00–16:30: Exhibit booths open
- 13:00–13:50: Senior Enlisted Panel (hosted by CSM Jason Haines)
- 14:00–14:50: Warrant Officer Future Capabilities Panel (Moderator: CW5 Jason Horton)
- 15:00–16:00: Senior Leader Panel (Moderator: COL Brian Wong)
- 16:00–19:00: SWA Social + Fort Bragg Orange Call at Iron Mike
Wednesday, 10 June 2026 — Expo Day 2
- 08:00–16:00: Exhibit booths open
- 09:00–09:50: SES Joe Tragakis — SOCOM CIO/J6
- 10:00–10:50: CTO Panel — HQE Rob Braun with JIOP members
- 11:00–11:30: UAS/UGV/C-UAS discussion (CW3 Patrick Cobb, 82nd ABN DIV G3 Air)
- 13:00–13:50: Sensor Integration Panel (Moderator: LTC Jon Creel)
- 14:00–14:50: LTG Jeth Rey — Army CIO/G6
- 15:00–15:30: Electronic Warfare discussion (CW3 (RET) Adam Gately)
Confirmed Speakers and Panelists
| Speaker | Title/Role | Topic Area |
|---|---|---|
| LTG Jeth Rey | Army CIO/G6 | Army network modernization, Zero Trust |
| SES Joe Tragakis | SOCOM CIO/J6 | SOF C4ISR strategy and architecture |
| HQE Rob Braun | 18th ABN Corps CTO | Joint Interoperability (JIOP) |
| COL Brian Wong | CDR, 35th Signal Brigade | Senior leadership perspective |
| COL Kale Sawyer | USASOC G6 | USASOC communications requirements |
| COL Bob Topper | 18th ABN Corps G6 | Corps-level signal operations |
| COL Brian Kadet | SOCOM J63 | SOCOM communications directorate |
| LTC Jon Creel | CDR, 112th Signal BN (SO)(A) | Sensor integration, unit operations |
| LTC Joseph Blewett | 1st SFC G6 | 1st Special Forces Command comms |
| CW5 Jason Horton | 18th ABN Corps G6 Sr Engineer | Future capabilities, WO perspective |
| CW3 Patrick Cobb | 82nd ABN DIV G3 Air SUAS Tech | UAS/UGV/C-UAS operations |
| CW3 Wayne Gonzales | 3rd SFG | Special Forces Group perspective |
| CW3 (RET) Adam Gately | Former EW practitioner | Electronic Warfare |
| CSM Jason Haines | Senior Enlisted Leader | Enlisted perspective on C4ISR |
Cost and Registration
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Military / Government civilians | FREE |
| Industry booth (indoor) | $1,650 |
| Industry booth (outdoor, 2 parking spaces) | $1,650 |
| Golf tournament team | $500 |
| Snack/coffee sponsorship | $500 |
| Tuesday evening reception sponsorship | $2,500 |
| Attendees per booth sponsorship | 2 included |
Registration process: Download the application from 112swa.org, submit to SWA, and receive an Eventbrite payment link. Applications available at:
History and Context
The Shadow Warrior Association is the alumni organization of the 112th Signal Battalion (Special Operations, Airborne), which traces its lineage to the 512th Airborne Signal Company activated on 14 July 1944 in Lido De Roma, Italy. The battalion’s motto — “Penetra Le Tenebre” (“Penetrate the Shadows”) — reflects its WWII origins supporting the 1st Airborne Task Force.
The 112th was reactivated in 1986 at Fort Bragg and assigned to the newly formed 1st Special Operations Command. It has deployed continuously since then — Panama (Just Cause), Desert Storm, Somalia, Haiti, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. It remains the Army’s only airborne signal battalion and provides theater-level communications for Joint Special Operations Task Forces worldwide.
The Tech Expo has been running annually since approximately 2017–2018, growing from an informal alumni networking event into a structured industry day with senior leader panels. Previous years have attracted companies including Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions, Klas Government, Three Wire Systems, Dell Technologies, and other C4ISR/EW vendors.
Who Attends
Government/Military:
- USASOC headquarters staff (G6, G3)
- SOCOM J6/J63 directorate
- 112th Signal Battalion operators and leadership
- XVIII Airborne Corps signal community
- 82nd Airborne Division (G3 Air, UAS)
- 1st Special Forces Command (1st SFC) G6
- 3rd, 5th, 7th Special Forces Groups
- 35th Signal Brigade
- Army CIO/G6 representatives
Industry:
- C4ISR systems integrators (CACI, L3Harris, General Dynamics, Collins Aerospace)
- Tactical networking companies (Klas, PacStar/Curtiss-Wright)
- EW and cyber firms
- UAS/C-UAS vendors
- Satellite communications providers
- Zero Trust / cybersecurity companies (Zscaler, Palo Alto Networks)
- Small/mid-cap defense tech firms targeting SOF
Why It Matters for Defense Industry
Direct access to SOF requirements holders. Unlike SOFIC (which is massive and heavily managed), the SWA Tech Expo puts vendors in the same room as the battalion commanders, CW5s, and G6 colonels who write requirements and influence procurement decisions. The conversations are substantive and operationally grounded.
Low cost of entry. At $1,650 for a booth (with two attendees included), this is one of the most cost-effective ways to engage the SOF C4ISR community. Compare to SOFIC ($5,000+ for a small booth) or AUSA ($10,000+).
Timing. Held in June, it falls during the planning cycle for the following fiscal year’s requirements and technology insertions. Insights gained here directly inform what gets written into SOF technology roadmaps.
The Orange Call factor. The Tuesday evening social doubles as the Fort Bragg “Orange Call” — a well-attended networking event that draws attendees beyond the immediate SWA community.
Relevance to Current Priorities
The 2026 agenda directly addresses several of the most active SOF modernization lines:
- UAS/UGV/C-UAS — The 82nd’s G3 Air SUAS Tech is presenting, reflecting the Army’s push to integrate organic drones at the tactical level
- Sensor Integration — A dedicated panel moderated by the 112th’s commander signals active work on multi-sensor fusion for SOF
- Electronic Warfare — EW is resurging as a priority after lessons from Ukraine; a dedicated session reflects this
- Zero Trust / Cyber — LTG Jeth Rey (Army CIO/G6) is the driving force behind the Army’s Zero Trust implementation; his presence elevates this beyond a tactical event
- JIOP (Joint Interoperability) — The CTO panel with JIOP members addresses the persistent challenge of SOF-conventional force interoperability
Assessment
Bottom line: If you sell C4ISR, EW, cyber, UAS, or tactical networking solutions to SOF, this is a high-value, low-noise event. The speaker lineup (Army CIO/G6 + SOCOM CIO/J6 at the same event) is unusually senior for an association-run expo. The intimate format means real conversations, not badge scans.
Action: Booth registration may still be available — contact SWA via 112swa.org. Even without a booth, government/military attendance is free.