Government cybersecurity conferences in the United States bring federal, military and industry teams together, and the 2026 calendar was anchored by DAFITC, TechNet Cyber, TechNet Augusta and the Billington Cybersecurity Summit.
This guide compares those four events by host, audience, venue and 2026 dates, and explains how to match an event to your role. It is an independent resource and is not affiliated with the U.S. Air Force or any event organizer. For the Air Force event in Alabama, start with the AFITC conference guide.
2026 events at a glance
| Event | 2026 dates | Location | Main audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| TechNet Cyber | June 2 to 4 | Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland | Cyber Command, DISA, DoW CIO and service cyber components, with industry and academia |
| TechNet Augusta | August 17 to 20 | Augusta, Georgia | Defense leaders and industry, coordinated with the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence |
| DAFITC | August 24 to 26 | Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa at the Convention Center, Montgomery, Alabama | Air Force IT and cybersecurity professionals and private sector leaders |
| Billington Cybersecurity Summit | September 8 to 10 | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C. | Cybersecurity leaders, government decision makers and industry |
Dates, venues and audiences come from event listings on Telos (TechNet Cyber), Progress (TechNet Augusta), Telos (DAFITC) and Carahsoft (Billington), plus Carahsoft’s TechNet Cyber announcement.
DAFITC: the Air Force event in Montgomery
The Department of the Air Force Information Technology and Cyberpower Education and Training event, known as DAFITC, was listed for August 24 to 26, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama, at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa at the Convention Center. Telos describes a three-day event that brings together thousands of Air Force peers and private sector leaders in IT and cybersecurity, with industry speakers, breakout training sessions and networking.
It is the event to follow for Air Force enterprise IT, communications and cyber workforce topics. The event’s history and its earlier AFITC name are covered in the conference guide. Registration and attendance rules are set by the organizers, who run the official site.
TechNet Cyber: Baltimore, joint and defense-wide
TechNet Cyber is hosted by AFCEA, and Carahsoft’s account places the 2026 edition on June 2 to 4 in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Convention Center. Carahsoft describes it as a flagship event that brings together the Defense Information Systems Agency, the DoW Chief Information Office, U.S. Cyber Command and service cyber components, alongside government agencies, industry, academia and the military. The 2026 theme was “Dominating the Digital Battlespace: Confidence, Speed, Precision.”
According to Carahsoft, the three days included keynote sessions, solution showcases, networking and technical discussions, along with continuing education opportunities and career fairs. Telos describes the event as a place to explore policy, strategic architecture and operations for evolving cyber threats, led by U.S. Cyber Command, DISA, the DoW CIO and industry and academia partners. Of the four events here, it has the broadest defense-wide reach.
TechNet Augusta: coordinated with the Army Cyber Center
TechNet Augusta was listed for August 17 to 20, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. According to an exhibitor listing from Progress Federal Solutions, the event was coordinated with assistance from the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and connects defense leaders with industry innovation. Topics named in that listing include Army modernization, cybersecurity and data-driven IT for joint warfighting environments. It suits readers working on Army modernization and networks, and it complements the Air Force focus of DAFITC.
Billington Cybersecurity Summit: civilian and defense leaders
The 17th annual Billington Cybersecurity Summit was scheduled for September 8 to 10, 2026 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW, in Washington, D.C. Billington Cybersecurity hosts it, and Carahsoft calls it the premier gathering for government cybersecurity leaders. Carahsoft gives the 2026 theme as “Reducing Risk in An Age of AI-Enabled Threats” and says more than 3,000 attendees and 250+ speakers were expected across 50+ sessions and breakouts. Featured keynote speakers included officials from the FBI, CIA, CISA, the Department of War and the National Weather Service.
Because it draws civilian agencies as well as defense, Billington is the best fit for readers tracking federal policy, incident response and public-sector risk management rather than one service’s networks.
What these events have in common
Each event is built around a program of speakers and sessions for government decision-makers and industry. The 2026 themes show where the community’s attention sat: TechNet Cyber centered on confidence, speed and precision in the digital battlespace, while Billington centered on reducing risk from AI-enabled threats. Telos describes the TechNet Cyber agenda as policy, strategic architecture and operations, and Progress lists Army modernization and data-driven IT for TechNet Augusta.
Training and career content is part of the draw. Carahsoft says TechNet Cyber included continuing education opportunities and career fairs, and DAFITC is billed as an education and training event with breakout training sessions. Anyone weighing a move into defense cyber work can use these events to meet hiring organizations in person.
Planning a trip to a government cyber event
Several practical points apply across the circuit.
- Read the host’s official site first. Eligibility, pricing, badge categories and security rules differ by event, and only the organizer can confirm them. For DAFITC, see the registration overview on this site, then follow its link to the official page.
- Match the event to your role. A program manager buying Air Force IT gets more from DAFITC than from a broader summit, while a policy analyst may prefer Billington.
- Book lodging early. Conference weeks can fill hotels near the venue. Options near the Alabama venue are collected in the guide to where to stay in downtown Montgomery.
- Study the agenda for sessions, not just keynotes. Breakouts and technical discussions are where the operational detail is usually shared.
- Allow for networking events. Receptions, such as the Carahsoft networking reception in the Billington exhibitor area on September 8, are a large part of how contacts form.
How to choose between them
The four events overlap less than the calendar suggests, because each is hosted by a different community and aimed at a different audience. The list below maps a common job focus to the best-fit event.
- Air Force IT, communications or cyber workforce: DAFITC in Montgomery.
- Defense-wide cyber operations and DISA or Cyber Command priorities: TechNet Cyber in Baltimore.
- Army modernization, networks and joint warfighting IT: TechNet Augusta.
- Federal civilian and defense policy, with a large cross-agency crowd: Billington in Washington.
The 2026 calendar ran from June to September, so the four events can be compared as separate stops rather than competing dates. Contractors should also keep compliance in mind when they plan which events to attend, since defense supply chain rules are a common topic in the sector. The CMMC explainer covers what defense contractors need to know.
FAQ
Which government cybersecurity conference is best for the Air Force?
DAFITC, held in Montgomery, Alabama, is the Air Force-focused IT and cyberpower education and training event.
When was TechNet Cyber 2026?
June 2 to 4, 2026, at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
Where is the Billington Cybersecurity Summit held?
The 2026 summit was at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., September 8 to 10.
Where can I find dates for the next editions?
Each organizer, including AFCEA for TechNet events and Billington Cybersecurity for the summit, publishes upcoming dates and registration on its own official site.
Photo credits: Atlantic Ambience (Pexels License); panumas nikhomkhai (Pexels License).
