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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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| Goal 1: Sustain, enhance, and protect infrastructure modernization and the industrial base |
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| Goal 2: Collaborate with the administration and industry to improve access to and quality of the aerospace workforce |
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| Goal 3: Facilitate aerospace growth through improved infrastructure and prioritization of technology development and application |
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