Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Nebraska and Wisconsin on Aug. 24, 2026, but he did not tour defense manufacturers in both states. The Nebraska stop was U.S.
Strategic Command headquarters in Omaha, while the manufacturing visit was Oshkosh Corporation in Wisconsin. The two stops linked military deterrence with the factories, workers and suppliers that produce defense equipment. The trip was part of the department's nationwide "Arsenal of Freedom" tour, according to a U.S. Department of War advisory.
Table of Contents
- What happened in Nebraska?
- What did Hegseth see in Wisconsin?
- Why Oshkosh matters to the defense supply chain
- What policy message did Hegseth deliver?
What happened in Nebraska?
At Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Hegseth addressed personnel assigned to U.S. Strategic Command, commonly called STRATCOM. The command oversees missions related to strategic deterrence.
Hegseth described work involving nuclear bombers, ground-based deterrence and submarines as the foundation of U.S. deterrence, DefSec Wire reported. The Nebraska visit focused on military personnel and national security operations, not a manufacturing plant. That distinction matters because the trip's two locations served different purposes: Nebraska highlighted the military mission, while Wisconsin highlighted the industrial capacity supporting military forces.
What did Hegseth see in Wisconsin?
Hegseth toured Oshkosh Corporation's manufacturing operations and tactical-vehicle displays. Oshkosh Defense said the equipment included: These systems provide mobility and other operational capabilities for U.S.
service members and allied forces. Those military users, along with the workers and suppliers behind production, are the groups most directly affected by changes in demand.
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- The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV
- The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles
- The ROGUE-Fires unmanned missile-launching system
Why Oshkosh matters to the defense supply chain
Oshkosh represents more than one assembly operation. The company says its JLTV production relies on a network of more than 300 suppliers, spreading defense-related work beyond the primary factory. Since receiving its original JLTV contract in 2015, Oshkosh Defense says it has produced more than 25,000 vehicles for U.S.
forces and allied partners. Those company-reported figures illustrate how a large defense program can support manufacturers throughout a broader supply chain. The visit did not establish that every supplier would receive more work. Actual effects depend on future contracts, production volumes and enacted government spending.
What policy message did Hegseth deliver?
Hegseth said the department wants commercial-scale manufacturers across the country to enter defense production. In a Department of War press gaggle, he presented Oshkosh as an example for companies outside the traditional defense-contractor base. The broader pitch was to reduce acquisition bureaucracy and provide stable, long-term contracts.
Such commitments could give businesses more confidence to invest in factories, equipment and workers. However, the cited $1.5 trillion defense figure was a presidential budget request. It was not enacted funding, a new contract for Oshkosh or proof that participating manufacturers would receive awards.
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