Call for Papers
ITEA and DEPS combined two long running events and focused on the joint theme of how Test
and Evaluation can support the emerging DoD trend to focus significant energy on prototyping
and experimentation.
A recent Department of Defense Report to Congress noted the need to
“increasingly leverage prototyping, experimentation and other developmental activities
to retire technical risk." Our Joint Conference leverages that DoD vision and the recent
significant increases in prototyping and experimentation efforts to explore the role of T&E in
"prototyping, experimentation and other developmental activities." This Conference will discuss
the practical implications of T&E support to accelerate delivery of "game changing" technologies
to the Warfighter.
Key plenary speakers, panel discussions, and technical sessions will be part of the program
to identify challenges, solutions, innovations and a future state; all contributing to moving
us closer to creation of an infrastructure and principles, conducive to testing and training
in a more operationally realistic environment.
Come Join Us!
The 2026 DE Test & Evaluation Joint Conference will take place from February 2-5 in Albuquerque,
NM, focusing on "T&E Support to Prototyping and Experimentation." The theme of this conference is
Rapid Development and Deployment of Directed Energy Technology. This event will explore the practical
impact of test and evaluation (T&E) in supporting prototyping, experimentation, and other developmental activities.
This Call for Papers invites submissions for Public Release,
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), SECRET, and SECRET/NOFORN papers and presentations
on the following topics:
- High Energy Laser (HEL) Sensors and Sources
- High Power Microwave (HPM) Sensors and Sources
- Atmospheric Characterization and Effects
- Department of War(DoW) and Service Experimentation and Prototyping Campaigns and Test Results
- Measurement and Calibration (METCAL)
- Modeling and Simulation Guiding Design from Experimentation to Deployment
- Instrumentation and Target Requirements for Breakthrough Technologies
- Targets and Instrumentation for HEL and HPM Testing and Experimentation
- Testing Considerations for AI/ML Integration in Prototype Systems
- T&E's Role Across the Kill Chain in Experimentation
- T&E Capabilities for Directed Energy Systems
- Operational Security (OPSEC) Implications on Testing and Experimentation
- Bio-effects
- Manufacturing, Metrology, and Testing for Transition from Prototype to Fielded Systems
- Airborne Laser Systems
Note that all persons wishing to present at the DE T&E Joint Conference will be required to
submit an abstract.
(See Submission Instructions section below.) Important dates for presenters are listed in the table below.
Submission Instructions
| Important Dates for Presenters |
22 December 2025
- Abstracts due
- 7 January 2026
- Authors notified of acceptance
- 12 January 2026
- Preliminary agenda published
- 23 January 2026
- *ALL presentations due with release forms*
- 2 - 5 February 2026
- DE Test & Evaluation Joint Conference
- 5 February 2026
- Papers and corresponding release forms due
|
|
General information on the submission of abstracts, presentations, papers and release forms is provided here. Specific
information on sending presentations and papers will be provided below soon. Presentations and papers will be considered
for acceptance at an open, public release level, CUI Distribution C/D, as well as Classified Secret.
Note that it is the responsibility of the lead author to obtain all approvals and releases for
submitted abstracts, presentations, and papers. All submitted materials including unclassified presentations
must be appropriately marked for any distribution restrictions.
Abstracts
All persons wishing to present at the 2026 DE T&E Joint Conference must submit an abstract for consideration.
Abstracts must be unclassified and will be due on or before 22 December 2025.
DEPS utilizes an online abstract submission system so that we may better track abstracts and plan a successful program. Only unclassified,
public release material may be entered online.
- Unclassified, Public Release abstracts should be submitted in their entirety online. Authors nearing the submission deadline who do not yet have
release approval should submit a place-holder abstract prior to the deadline and then add the abstract body once release approval is obtained.
- Authors with CUI or Classified abstracts should submit a place-holder abstract (including title, expected classification/distribution of
the presentation, and contact info) so that an Abstract ID can be assigned, and then make arrangements with the symposium chair for providing their restricted material.
During the online submission process, authors may choose whether or not to display their abstract title on the DEPS website. Access to the full abstract content is
limited to those abstracts for which the author has submitted a simple, online abstract release form which will be available from their MyAccount page after the abstract
is submitted.
>>> Submit your Abstract Here <<<
Authors may choose whether to release either the title or the abstract online.
Those who do not yet have public release approval are encouraged to submit the abstract before the deadline and select the
appropriate options on the submission form to keep the details off the Website listing. Authors may also make arrangements
to submit classified or limited distribution material. To do so, authors should submit a place-holder title and abstract
through the online submission form and follow the instructions there that are suitable for their material.
Instructions for submitting papers and presentations will be posted here soon. Please check back.
Release forms will be made available here soon.
