“Based on Air Force guidance on mission-critical categories of exempted travel consistent with Executive Order 14222, ‘Implementing the President’s Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative,' and in consultation with the Dayton Development Coalition and representatives of the state of Ohio, we have cancelled the 9th annual Life Cycle Industry Days and Wright Dialogue with Industry this year,” a statement from the Life Cycle Management Center said. “We will re-evaluate in 2026 to ensure these events provide the best use of taxpayers’ dollars and align with President Trump’s priorities for our national defense.”
A companion event, the Wright Dialogue for Industry, no longer appears on the Dayton Defense trade group’s list of upcoming events this year on the organization’s web site.
“Unfortunately, Life Cycle Industry Days and Wright Dialogue with Industry will not take place this year due to Air Force guidance on mission-critical categories of exempted travel. We hope to return in 2026,” Dayton Defense said online.
The coalition said it is moving forward as planned with other scheduled events, including the Community Leader Fly-In May 12 to 14, and the Ohio Defense & Aerospace Forum, which is typically held in the fall.
A spokesman for the Life Cycle Management Center declined to comment beyond the prepared statement.
“LCID” — as the event was also known — was one of the premier annual gatherings connecting the defense industry to the people at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (and beyond) who keep the Air Force flying.
Last year, former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall visited LCID at the Dayton Convention Center to praise Dayton and Wright-Patterson’s roles in supporting the Air Force.
“All roads lead to Dayton,” Kendall said at one point in last year’s LCID.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center will become the Air Force Air Dominance Systems Center, according to service reorganization plans. Kendall told the Dayton Daily News in an interview last year that he expects the renamed center to remain headquartered at Wright-Patt.
“I don’t see anything but a bright future for Dayton. I think there’s a lot of capability here, terrific support from the community and a very well established network of both industry and government civilians who support the Air Force extremely well,” he said.
LCID had grown steadily over nine years. Last year, more than 2,600 people attended the three-day event at the remodeled Dayton Convention Center, an attendance record, easily besting 2023’s attendance figure of about 1,700 people.
In fact, about 400 registrants had to be turned away last year.
About the Author
