By NCT CBNW Team
In September 2026, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) in Edgewood, Maryland, will once again become the focal point for global CBRNe and explosives preparedness as NCT USA 2026 gathers leading voices from government, military, industry, healthcare, and academia for two intensive days of discussion, demonstration, and collaboration.
Positioned at the heart of the U.S. Army’s CBRN enterprise, NCT USA 2026 is not just another conference, it is a working forum where strategy meets operational reality, and where the people shaping CBRN policy, capability development, and frontline response come together to chart the way ahead.
Why NCT USA 2026 Matters Now
The CBRN and explosives threat landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by geopolitical tensions, technological advances, emerging biological risks, and increasingly complex urban environments. NCT USA 2026 is designed to address this reality head-on.
After a two-year absence, the event returns to APG at a moment when cross-sector collaboration is more critical than ever. Delegates will explore how to:
– Strengthen CBRN emergency response and mass protection in complex, multi-agency environments
– Advance early warning, biosurveillance, and medical countermeasure capabilities
– Integrate artificial intelligence, robotics, and unmanned systems into CBRNe operations
– Build whole-of-government and public–private approaches to homeland security and explosives threats
NCT USA 2026 offers both strategic insight and practical value: an opportunity to benchmark current capabilities, explore emerging solutions, and contribute directly to the dialogue shaping future preparedness.
A Unique Setting: Aberdeen Proving Ground
NCT USA 2026 takes place at Aberdeen Proving Ground, home to many of the United States’ most important CBRN institutions. APG hosts, among others:
– 20th CBRNE Command
– U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC)
– U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD)
– Joint Program Executive Office for CBRN Defense (JPEO‑CBRND)
– Chemical Materials Activity (CMA)
– Program Executive Office Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
Holding NCT USA in this environment gives delegates unparalleled proximity to the organizations leading U.S. and allied CBRN capability development. Participants will not only hear from key decision-makers, but they will also meet them on their home ground.
High-Level Leadership and Expert Speakers
The event is organized in partnership with DEVCOM CBC and chaired by Brigadier General (Ret.) William King, whose experience and perspective help ensure that discussions remain firmly anchored in operational realities and strategic requirements.
Confirmed speakers represent an exceptional cross-section of the CBRNe and homeland security community, including:
– BG (R) William King, NCT USA Chairman
– COL Tanja C. Roy, Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD), U.S. Army
– Daniel Wolfe, Deputy Director, Division of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical Countermeasures, BARDA, ASPR
– Dr Eric Moore, Deputy to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM)
– Dr Frederick Cox, Director of Research and Operations, US Army DEVCOM CBC
– Michael Bailey, Director, DEVCOM CBC
– Michael J. Gemelli, Director, CBRN Detection & Mitigation, MTA New York City Transit
– Patrick Riley, Research Chemist, Detection Spectrometry Branch, DEVCOM CBC
– Dr Shannon B. Fox, Laboratory Director, Chemical Security Analysis Center (CSAC), S&T Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
– Warren K. Mino Jr., President & CEO, Bertin Environics USA
For government and military officials, this is an opportunity to engage peer decision-makers and program leaders driving CBRN doctrine, acquisition, and R&D. For medical and public health experts, BARDA, USAMRICD, and DHS participation ensures that medical countermeasures, clinical response, and bio-surveillance are integral to the debate. For industry and academia, direct access to these stakeholders provides a clear view of evolving requirements and priorities.
Highlights of the program include:
Future Strategies in CBRN Emergency Response, Decontamination, and Mass Protection
Led by industry and operational experts, this session will examine best practices and emerging concepts for protecting civilian populations and responders in complex CBRNe incidents.
Early Warning Systems, Bio-Surveillance, and Medical Countermeasures
This session brings together leaders from BARDA and USAMRICD to discuss how early detection and robust medical countermeasure pipelines can shorten the time from threat recognition to effective response.
Leveraging Robotics, Unmanned Systems, and AI for CBRNE Threat Mitigation
With increasing demand for stand-off detection, remote sampling, and automated decision support, this session will showcase how robotics and AI are reshaping CBRNe operations, from hazard mapping to decision support at the tactical edge.
Strengthening Homeland Security: Whole-of-Government Approaches to CBRN and Explosives
Featuring perspectives from mass transit, federal research centers, and DHS, this discussion will address interagency coordination, critical infrastructure protection, and integrated CBRN, explosives threat management.
Radiological and Nuclear Threat Readiness: Preparedness, Response, and Resilience
Against a backdrop of renewed concern about radiological and nuclear risks, this session will explore planning, detection, consequence management, and community resilience.
Throughout the agenda, structured coffee breaks, lunches, and an evening networking reception in the exhibition area are deliberately built-in to maximize informal exchanges and one-to-one meetings.
A Proven Platform: Building on the 2024 Edition
NCT USA 2026 builds on the strong foundations of previous editions. The 2024 event brought together:
– 411 delegates
– 29 speakers
– Participants from 16 countries
– 46 exhibitors
– 7 training teams
This scale and diversity make NCT USA one of the largest CBRNe and EOD events in the United States. For newsletter readers considering where to invest limited travel and engagement budgets, these figures demonstrate that NCT USA is a high-yield opportunity: a dense concentration of relevant stakeholders in one venue over a short, focused period.
Technology, Innovation, and the Exhibition Floor
Beyond the conference sessions, the exhibition at NCT USA 2026 showcases cutting-edge solutions from across the CBRNe and EOD spectrum; detection, protection, decontamination, PPE, medical countermeasures, robotics, analytics, and more.
Sponsors and exhibitors already announced for 2026 include leading organizations such as:
– Silver Sponsors: Bertin Environics, SERB SA
– Exhibitors: Advanced Technology International (ATI), Agilent Technologies, Alakai Defense Systems, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, BLADE, Bruker Detection U.S., CBRNE Atlantic Bridge, CEOTRONICS INC., Dräger, DuPont Personal Protection, H3D, Inc., INFICON, Kappler Inc, Lion Protects, Mirion Technologies Inc, NOBLE, Nonwovenn, ORTEC, Proengin, and others
For government, military, and first responders, the exhibition is a chance to compare solutions side by side, discuss operational feedback directly with manufacturers, and explore how emerging technologies can be adapted to specific mission profiles. For industry and technology developers, it is an opportunity to demonstrate capabilities to precisely the customers and partners who matter most; program offices, end users, integrators, and research centers.
Who Should Attend?
Given the breadth of the program and the depth of participation, NCT USA 2026 is particularly relevant to:
– Government and policy makers involved in CBRN, homeland security, emergency management, and critical infrastructure protection
– Military leaders and practitioners responsible for CBRN defense, EOD, WMD counter-proliferation, and joint operations
– Medical, public health, and laboratory professionals engaged in toxicology, emergency medicine, medical countermeasures, bio-surveillance, and public health preparedness
– Industry and technology developers across detection, protection, PPE, decontamination, robotics, analytics, and pharmaceutical/biotech sectors
– Researchers and academics focused on CBRNe science, modeling and simulation, threat assessment, risk communication, and policy analysis
The event is designed to foster dialogue across these communities. Recognizing that effective CBRNe preparedness depends on coordinated, multi-disciplinary approaches rather than siloed solutions.
Beyond Sessions: Networking and Community
NCT USA is widely recognized for the quality of its networking environment. Previous attendees across the NCT event series, spanning the U.S., Europe, and Asia, have highlighted the value of direct engagement with top-level professionals, the practicality of technology demonstrations, and the opportunities to build lasting partnerships with peers facing similar challenges.
At APG in 2026, delegates can expect:
– Structured networking receptions within the exhibition
– Informal discussions during coffee breaks and lunches
– Numerous opportunities to arrange bilateral meetings with speakers, sponsors, and fellow delegates
For a community that often operates under time pressure and demanding operational rhythms, this concentrated networking is one of the most compelling reasons to attend.
How to Get Involved
There are multiple ways for members of your community to engage with NCT USA 2026:
– Attend as a delegate to gain insight into evolving threats, current best practices, and future capability development.
– Exhibit or sponsor to showcase technologies, build relationships with decision makers, and position your organization at the forefront of the CBRNe field.
– Contribute expertise by engaging speakers, panelists, and peers in discussions that will shape doctrine, policy, and practice.
Booking options, exhibition opportunities, and practical information, such as FAQs and onsite logistics, are available via the official NCT USA 2026 website.
Mark Your Calendar!
NCT USA 2026
Dates: 2–3 September 2026 (with exhibitor set-up on 1 September)
Location: Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Edgewood, Maryland, USA
For a global audience of government and military officials, medical and public health professionals, CBRNe technology providers, and academic experts, NCT USA 2026 offers a rare combination of strategic depth, operational relevance, and practical networking.
As the CBRNe and explosives threat landscape continues to evolve, this is one of the key events where the next steps in preparedness, response, and resilience will be discussed, tested, and translated into action. Your presence, whether as a delegate, exhibitor, sponsor, or speaker, will help shape that future.
