About

Infrastructure

FOCUS 4: Improve U.S. Aerospace Infrastructure and Retain U.S. Industrial Base Capability

U.S. aerospace infrastructure keeps Americans safe and drives the U.S. economy. It includes a vast array of facilities, people, equipment, technology, research programs and operational programs. Our goals are to:

• Sustain, enhance and protect infrastructure modernization and the industrial base
• Collaborate with the administration and industry to improve access to and the quality of the aerospace workforce
• Facilitate aerospace growth through transformational infrastructure such as NextGen

Modernize Infrastructure and Preserve the Industrial Base

As pressure on aerospace and defense budgets mounts, the threats to maintaining America’s industrial base capabilities in our sector will grow. In the twenty years since the end of the Cold War, nearly 150 major defense companies have consolidated to six. The retirement of the Space Shuttle and subsequent industry downsizing diminishes capabilities for future human space exploration. Preserving America’s aerospace and defense industrial base and ensuring that government leaders fully comprehend the importance of having an industrial base strategy will be important objectives under the plan in 2012.

We’ve made great strides in the past two years modernizing AIA’s National Aerospace Standards (NAS) and will substantially complete our efforts in 2012 – we’re also looking at ways to expand the standards program by developing new standards, providing NAS standards with 3D models, and introducing material options within standards to address environmental concerns.

Promote Comprehensive Cyber and Supply Chain Security

Addressing growing cyber threats to critical elements of American defense and commercial infrastructure will require new technologies, policies and regulations in order to minimize the impact to our economy. AIA’s efforts toward effective legislative and regulatory engagement between the government and industry will ensure the cyber effects are minimized and industry adopts efficient strategies to combat this dangerous and growing threat to our nation’s systems and supply chains.

Educate and Train a Capable Workforce

Our companies are also challenged over the long term to sustain a vibrant, innovative and competitive aerospace and defense workforce. AIA is addressing current and future workforce needs in terms of how we can retain and attract sufficient numbers of people with the right competencies and skills. We continue close collaboration with a number of partners to accurately assess our current workforce population and openings, better project future talent and skill requirements, align with other industries and stakeholders at all levels to advance workforce education and training and support STEM programs and practices that have the best return on investment. AIA also continues to shape the Team America Rocketry Challenge competition - now in its tenth year - into a model workforce development program.

Facilitate Industry Growth

We will also support our members’ efforts to transform America’s air transportation infrastructure in ways that can greatly enhance efficiencies and facilitate growth. In 2011, AIA was successful in communicating the importance of NextGen to legislators and policy makers. Over the next several years, AIA’s efforts to improve the aerospace infrastructure will include accelerating deployment of NextGen, promoting industry R&D priorities and government-industry cooperative research venues and establishing policies and procedures supporting UAS integration into the national aerospace system.

Goal 1: Sustain, enhance, and protect infrastructure modernization and the industrial base		Continue the National Aerospace Standards Modernization Project Create industry guidance to facilitate efficiencies in and reduction of costs of ownership of aerospace products and programs
Goal 2: Collaborate with the administration and industry to improve access to and quality of the aerospace workforce		Execute partnership with the National Governors Association on STEM education and workforce development Expand the membership and activities of the AIA Workforce Committee Develop a more integrated aerospace presence and messaging on STEM workforce
Goal 3: Facilitate aerospace growth through improved infrastructure and prioritization of technology development and application		Protect and further NextGen implementation nationally and globally Advocate for the FAA to lead, with the support of other agencies and industry, a detailed roadmap for UAS integration Provide authoritative recommendations on the risks and benefits to the industry of exploiting new and disruptive information technologies Define and establish a sustainable Chemical Restrictions & Bans (CR&B) process and create a rapid response network to understand and develop industry-coordinated analysis of restricted or banned chemical substances