Registration is now open for the 15th Annual CDCA Defense Summit scheduled to take place Dec. 7-8 at Charleston Area Convention Center

CHARLESTON, S.C. – One of the largest defense conferences in the southeastern U.S. plans to be even bigger this year following a record-breaking event in 2021. The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) announced that registration is currently open for the 2022 CDCA Defense Summit scheduled to take place Dec. 7-8 at the Charleston Area Convention Center, just days after the organization’s 20-year anniversary.

Now in the 15th year, the CDCA Defense Summit plans to add more than 25,000 square feet of event space to house 60 more exhibitors and more than 400 additional attendees in the convention center’s exhibit hall, providing more military leaders and national defense experts with a larger event to meet and discuss national security strategies, unveil new technologies, and collaborate with other industry leaders.

“Our organization’s success and growth over the last two decades is really a reflection of the phenomenal members who contribute to, and make up, the CDCA,” said Gary Jaffe, president of the CDCA. “When this organization first started, there were 11 members. Today, we have more than 250 organizations dedicated to improving and revolutionizing the defense space, while spurring regional, national and global innovation for the national security environment.”

Last year’s CDCA Defense Summit saw more than 100 vendors and exhibitors, 67 sponsors, and more than 1,650 registered attendees, shattering previous attendance records.

The 2022 CDCA Defense Summit plans to host the presentation portion of the Palmetto Tech Bridge Prize Challenge, a competition of innovation that features up to 8 pre-chosen participants who will propose their innovative concepts surrounding unmanned solutions to attendees at the summit.

At the conclusion of presentations, a government judging panel will determine the Prize Challenge winner and a runner-up for each category. The Prize Challenge winners will be announced on the last day of the Defense Summit and presented with cash prizes and concessions.

Notable organizations scheduled to attend this year’s Defense Summit include the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC-LANT), the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Coast Guard and many other Department of Defense (DoD) organizations focusing on today’s technical challenges.

The annual Defense Summit has hosted influential speakers and attendees in years past, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Tim Scott, Rear Adm. Christian Becker, Lt. Gen. William Bender, Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall, Rear Adm. Douglas Small and more.

Attendees are encouraged to register by Oct. 12 to receive the Early Bird registration rate of $550. Advanced tickets bought between Oct. 12 and Dec. 5 are $675. On-site registration the day of the event is $775 and all government and active-duty military members receive free admission.

For general registration for the 2022 CDCA Defense Summit, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/15th-annual-cdca-defense-summit-tickets-402782753057?aff=PressRelease.

For sponsorships and exhibit space, please visit https://events.jspargo.com/CDCA22/Public/enter.aspx.

Members of the media must register for the event at www.charlestondca.org/media-registration.

For more information on the CDCA and the CDCA Defense Summit, contact summit@charlestondca.org or visit www.charlestondca.org/cdca-summit-15.

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About Charleston Defense Contractors Association:
The Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) supports the defense community in the Charleston metro area, South Carolina and the Southeast U.S. The CDCA advocates to preserve, strengthen, and grow the Charleston defense industry through partnership and collaboration with stakeholders and our community. The CDCA represents its members with the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and other Government agencies in the area and surrounding regions and provides input on issues and initiatives to the broader community in such areas as education, small business mentoring and congressional affairs.