Modern Day Marine is the largest military equipment, systems, services, and technology exposition exclusively targeted to Marines. The event brings together personnel from all levels of the Marine Corps—from top leaders to privates—as well as industry leaders to showcase technologies and solutions to advance the capabilities of America’s expeditionary forces.

This year’s event was held from April 30 to May 2 in Washington D.C., and we were thrilled to exhibit Manifest for defense logistics, our artificial intelligence (AI) platform that enables next-generation defense logistics. We sent an expert team comprising our CEO, Jon Garrity, Head of Growth, Jamie O’Brien, and Data Scientist, Kyle Richards.

One of the key challenges facing today’s logistics enterprise is lack of the predictive modeling and simulation capabilities necessary to accurately forecast variables such as demand, consumption, and transportation. Difficulty in forecasting these variables often leads to inventory overstocking and shortages, which threaten readiness, budget efficiency, and productivity. Manifest uses AI to forecast these difficult-to-predict dynamics and deliver the agile, resilient, and responsive logistics enterprise required by the dynamic, contested modern battlefield.

Three Key Takeaways

There were three key takeaways from our time at Modern Day Marine: (1) logistics was featured more heavily, (2) AI was well-represented, and (3) the contested battlefield was top of mind.

Key Takeaway 1: Logistics was featured more heavily

Although logistics operations tend to take a backseat to combat operations, Modern Day Marine featured sessions dedicated to logistics. This spotlight on logistics signals a recognition of the important role logistics plays in success on the battlefield: a force is only as powerful as the resources it has at its disposal. We hope to see this increased emphasis on logistics continue to grow.

Key Takeaway 2: AI was well represented

Consistent with the defense sector at large, discussions around the use of AI to safeguard national security and maximize combat power were prevalent at Modern Day Marine. The conference featured numerous sessions, demonstrations, and exhibitions related to AI for defense applications, including unmanned systems and robot dogs. AI applications for logistics were less prevalent than those for combat operations, and we were proud to demonstrate how AI can be used in logistics to enhance the capabilities of the Marine Corps.

Key Takeaway 3: The contested battlefield was top of mind

The contested battlefield was top of mind for many at Modern Day Marine. Not only were there sessions dedicated to the contested battlefield, but our booth saw a great deal of activity and discussions regarding how to preserve logistics operations in a contested environment.

Bringing it All Together

Manifest stands at the center of all three takeaways: Manifest is the AI solution for logistics that will allow the Marine Corps—and our military at large—to succeed on the modern, contested battlefield. As a result, our booth was a hub of activity for the duration of the conference, with many military personnel and potential partners stopping by to learn about our technology, chat about defense logistics, and discuss AI’s role in safeguarding national defense.

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All in all, the conference was a tremendous success, with many valuable connections made and a number of follow-up meetings already being held. We are incredibly bullish about the work we are doing, the relationships we're establishing, and are already looking forward to next year’s event! 

If you would like to learn more about our work in the defense sector or Manifest for defense logistics, please request a demo or email defense@tagup.io.