Future Force: The Autonomous Warfare Challenge launches Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST.
51ÎÛÂþ the Challenge
The future of warfare will be shaped not only by advances in technology. It depends on how effectively military forces combine people, technology, and strategy to accomplish their missions.
Future Force challenges undergraduate teams to rethink conventional approaches to joint force design and develop innovative solutions to a complex operational problem.
Your challenge: Design the force that wins.
Working from a real-world-inspired military scenario, teams will design a force capable of completing a specific mission against a formidable opponent.
You’ll decide what technologies and capabilities to use, how to organize your force, and how its different elements will work together. Your design must balance mission sucess with real-world constraints, including cost, speed, human safety, and the ability to adapt to changing conditions. There's no single right answer. The competition rewards bold ideas, creative problem-solving, and collaboration across disciplines––backed by research, analysis, and a clear explanation of why your approach will work.
Why Participate?
Put your ideas before the people shaping the future of national security.
Future Force offers undergraduate students an opportunity to apply their research and creativity to a real-world national security challenge.
Rather than developing proposals solely for the classroom, participating teams will test their ideas against a defined operational problem and receive feedback from military and national security experts.
Finalist teams will be invited to Vanderbilt's 2027 Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats in Nashville, where they will present and defend their research before a panel of experts.
The Summit brings together leaders and professionals from government, industry, academia, and the national security community, creating a distinctive opportunity for students to engage with the field and showcase their work. .
$20,000 Total Prize Pool
Awards will recognize outstanding force-design performance, simulation results, and innovation.
Who Can Participate?
Big challenges need fresh thinking and different perspectives.
Future Force welcomes undergraduate teams from eligible universities and service academies. Students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to participate, including:
Engineering • Robotics & Autonomous Systems • Artificial Intelligence & Computer Science • Cybersecurity • Systems Engineering • National Security & Strategic Studies • International Affairs • Public Policy • Economics • Human and Organizational Development
You don’t need to be a military or technology expert to contribute. Some of the most innovative solutions emerge when students with different skills, experiences, and perspectives work together.
Bring your expertise, challenge assumptions, and help shape the future of national security.
Participation Requirements
- Undergraduate teams must:
- Complete official team registration once registration opens November 18 at 5:00 PM EST
- Be comprised of at least 3 students, but no more than 8 students
- Represent an eligible U.S. university or service academy
- Have an appointed faculty adviser
- Sign our Student Standards of Conduct
Competition Timeline
November 18, 2026 — Official Scenario Release
The Challenge formally launches at 5:00pm EST during our Convening in the Capital. At this time, the complete operational scenario and supporting competition materials will become available.
November 19, 2026 — Registration & Submission Period Opens
Teams may register and/or submit products to compete in the Challenge.
February 1, 2027 — Team Registration Deadline
Universities must complete the official team registration process by the published deadline.
February 17, 2027 — Submission Deadline
Teams submit their completed Research Challenge materials.
February–March 2027 — Evaluation
Submissions advance through qualitative assessment and simulation-based evaluation.
March 31, 2027 — Finalist Notification
Selected finalist teams are notified and receive information about the final evaluation.
April 14–16, 2027 — Finalist Presentations & Awards
Finalist teams present and defend their force designs before an expert panel during the 2027 Asness Summit in Nashville. Â Award recipients are announced in conjunction with the Summit.
Start Building Your Team
Interested undergraduate students and faculty advisers are encouraged to begin discussing participation and assembling interdisciplinary teams.
The full scenario, competition rules, and submission materials will be available November 18, 2026.
For participation inquiries or additional information: