Program

Description

The 2018 National Defense Strategy is clear that a more lethal force and technological innovation are key to generating a decisive and sustained advantage. What do our warfighters need from the aerospace community in order to become a “more lethal, resilient, and rapidly innovating Joint Force” in an era of multi-domain warfare?

Speakers

• John Matyjas
  Scientific Adviser to the Commander, Air Combat Command

Description

The United States must outpace existing and potential rogue state and rogue actor offensive missile capabilities. To do so, the country will continue to sustain, modernize and expand the Missile Defense System and pursue the rapid, yet measured, development of advanced missile defense concepts and technologies for homeland and regional defense.” (Missile Defense Agency Director’s Vision and Intent, p. 3) How can government, industry and academia work together to advance critical missile defense capabilities? 

Speakers

• RDML Tom Druggan, USN
  Program Executive, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Missile Defense Agency

Description

Ralph H. Klestadt  – "For over four decades of technical contributions and outstanding leadership in the advancement of missile systems technologies."

Session Participants

• Ralph H. Klestadt
  Principal Engineering Fellow, Chief Engineer, Hypersonics Advanced Technologies, Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Description

Before we explore digital engineering and its opportunities, we need to take a step back and consider the human element. What is required to build technology in digital environments, and how do we quickly, safely and affordably design and produce systems for the warfighter? Dr. Sega will examine the “why” behind digital engineering, and set the stage for the following panel session.

Speakers

• Ronald Sega
  Chief Technology Officer, Army Futures Command

Description

As we enter into the fourth industrial revolution, this new digital era offers the opportunity to transform warfighting technologies and their development. To do so requires a new approach to systems engineering. More than two years after the Digital Engineering Strategy was released by DoD, hear how the Services are embracing digital tools and techniques, and what the next steps are for implementation.

Moderator

• Dan Heller
  Vice President, Corporate Engineering, Lockheed Martin

Panelists

• Thomas C. Fu
  Head, Mission Capable, Persistent and Survivable Naval Platforms Department, Office of Naval Research
• Stephanie L. Possehl
  Deputy Director for Engineering (Acting) and Director for Engineering Policy and Systems Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
• Rob Wallace
  Technical Director, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL)

Description

“Hypersonics for National Security: Conventional Prompt Strike"

Keynote

• Walter Rutledge
  Senior Technical Advisor, CENTRA Technologies

Description

Relax and enjoy conversation, drinks and food with attendees and speakers. Great way to miss the DC traffic!

Description

“Innovation without execution is hallucination.” DoD Research and Development (R&D) is charged with taking fundamental research and applying it to technologies for the warfighter. Hear about current and future projects, upcoming opportunities, and how these organizations enable the research community to transition ideas to technological advantages.

Moderator

• Laura J. McGill
  Deputy Laboratories Director, and Chief Technology Officer, Nuclear Deterrence, Sandia National Laboratories; AIAA President-Elect

Panelists

• Patrick J. Baker
  Director, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory
• Douglas Blake
  Acting Executive Director, Office of Naval Research
• Timothy Bunning
  Chief Technology Officer, Air Force Research Laboratory

Description

In today’s global threat environment, speed to the battlefield is just as important as speed on the battlefield. Digital technologies, and the data threads they create, are helping drive transformative change throughout the defense industry, from how we envision and field solutions to how we interact with customers and warfighters. In his talk, Bryan Rosselli will offer key insights into Raytheon Missiles & Defense’s unique digital transformation journey and how it’s accelerating the pace of innovation and performance, strengthening customer partnerships, and helping industry and government leaders reimagine the DoD’s acquisition process.

Keynote

• Bryan Rosselli
  Vice President, Business Transformation & Execution, Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Description

While the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance released in March calls for ensuring the “safety, stability and security of outer space activities” (p. 17), much work remains to be done to protect our space assets. The panel moderator and one of the panelists argue that “It's time to protect our nation’s space-based systems by designating them as critical infrastructure. Without adequate security, cyberattackers can cause them to malfunction, send false information or collide, potentially creating a debris field that could linger for decades. Worse, cyberattackers could simulate an attack on military systems, sparking an international — possibly nuclear — confrontation” (Edward Swallow and Samuel Visner, “It’s time to declare space systems as critical infrastructure,” POLITICO, April 2, 2021. How do the various commands, agencies, and organizations involved cooperate; how can the defense community support; and what new policies, products, and solutions are needed to secure space assets? 

Moderator

• Jamie Morin
  Vice President of Defense Systems Operations, Defense Systems Group, The Aerospace Corporation

Panelists

• Col Brian Bracy, USSF
  Chief (Acting), Systems Engineering and Architecture, Office of the Portfolio Architect, Space Systems Command
• Roberta Ewart
  Chief Scientist, Space Systems Command
• Ronald Keen
  Senior Advisor, National Risk Management Center, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security
• Samuel S. Visner
  Director, National Cybersecurity Federally Funded Research and Development Center, MITRE; Board Member, Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC)

Description

Maintaining the Department’s technological advantage will require changes to industry culture, investment sources, and protection across the National Security Innovation Base.” (National Defense Strategy [Unclassified], p. 3) The sense of urgency is driving a new environmental dynamic in industry, but how can we accelerate through the “valley of death”? Industry leaders respond to DoD modernization priorities and address requirements for fielding technologies at the speed of relevance.

Moderator

• Todd Nygren
  Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technology Group, The Aerospace Corporation

Panelists

• Timothy A. Barton
  Dynetics Group Chief Technology Officer, Leidos
• Naveed Hussain
  Chief Technology Officer, Vice President, and General Manager, Boeing Research & Technology
• Tom Pieronek
  Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Research, Technology and Engineering, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems
• Steven Walker
  Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation
• John C. Zolper, Sr.
  Principal Engineering Fellow, Defense Technology Strategy, Raytheon Technologies

Description

The Air Force Futures Agile Wargaming Team will be providing a modified demonstration of a strike game. The demo game will examine how to prosecute various targets using different combinations of platforms and munitions. The demo has been modified to account for a larger group of participants, as agile games typically average 6-9 players for 3-hour sessions. This game and the surrounding conversation is meant to highlight the quick-turn development and execution key for successful agile games through the lens of conceptual hypersonics. Players do not need to have any prior experience in wargaming or hypersonics.