Academics and Innovation

Since 2022, the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) has created collaborative partnership programs with several higher learning institutions. These programs provide a unique opportunity for aspiring leaders from the military, government, industry, and innovation communities to learn about the intersection of policy, warfighter, engineering, and science and technology (S&T) disciplines —which are too often separate within the complex field of defense and national security. Participants in these programs are provided an opportunity to collaborate with peers from other organizations on projects geared towards developing solutions which close specific operational gaps in urgent Warfighter capability and technology needs.

Each collaborative partnership program focused on a specific field or domain, and they all have their unique attributes. Nonetheless, they all share several common characteristics.

• Executive- or Flag-Officer level education and training
• A target audience of upwardly mobile professionals and leaders
• Flexible, hybrid learning mode—on-campus and virtual sessions, presentations by senior active or retired leaders, and field trips to off-site locations for hands-on immersion
• In-depth team development of Capstone projects
• Senior-level review of Capstone findings
• Follow-on application of these findings by Warfighting commands and supporting centers and often incorporation of these findings in Congressional laws
• The creation of professional networks and the exposure of participants to perspectives and expertise rarely available within traditional military education programs.

The evolution and focus of each of these programs is summarized below.

The University of Southern California’s (USC) SHIELD Executive Program in Global Space and Deterrence is a joint program with the USC Price School of Public Policy and USC Viterbi School of Engineering. MDAA and USC launched this program in 2021, with five completed cohorts and the sixth starting this fall 2026. The 8-month program educates aspiring senior leaders from the military, government, and innovation communities about the intersection of public policy and engineering. It is our most robust partnership program and was used as a model for the programs below.

The University of Hawaii’s Advanced Reconnaissance and Tracking for Environmental Monitoring and Indo-Pacific Security (ARTEMIS) is a collaboration with the University of Hawai’i. It graduated its first cohort group in 2026, and its second cohort group will start in late August 2026. This executive training program is focused on satellite sensor technology for Earth observation, and it is designed for professionals in space operations and technology innovation. The program provides a unique opportunity to connect strategy, technology, and operations in a way that is directly relevant to future Indo-Pacific security challenges. Military officers work alongside participants from academia, government, industry, and technology sectors.

The University of Arizona’s (UA’s) Advanced Education in Terrestrial Operations and Space (AETOS) is led by UA’s College of Engineering in partnership with MDAA. AETOS will commence its first cohort group in the summer of 2026. This program is geared towards uniformed and senior leaders with responsibility for and experience in achieving near-space and border space missions. Its focus is on technology threats, opportunities, and policy challenges in U.S. Terrestrial Operations and Near-Space Operations. It will also identify the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Large Language Models, and Big Data Computing Power on threat evolution and offensive/defense, U.S. & Allied space, counterspace, & electronic warfare operations.

Old Dominion University (ODU’s) APTERA MvS Executive Program in Mission Capability Development is led by ODU’s Center for Mission Engineering and MDAA. This program is geared towards developing next generation leaders as visionaries and architects of Disruptive Mission Technology. Aptera MvS will commence its first cohort group in September 2026. Its purpose is to develop an executive-level seminar integrating Mission Engineering, Modeling & Simulation, and AI/Machine Learning to produce operationally relevant outputs. Its mission is to ground leaders in the rational application of advanced capability by moving beyond the allure of buzzwords to the rigorous architecture needed for mission-ready technology.

The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (GCMC) and MDAA will execute our first Academic Program in the fall of 2026. This program (name in progress) is designed to develop future integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) leaders who will implement the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative (EFDI). It will be geared towards strengthening Allied and Partner interoperability, and it will advance IAMD capabilities across the European theater. Its focus will be on addressing critical gaps in policy and technical implementation of EFDI, specifically gaps in cross-border data-sharing and linkage of cross-border sensors and shooters.

Outlook: Looking forward, MDAA’s Academic Program will continue to support Warfighter needs with operationally relevant findings, often with implications for U.S. law. Our Capstone projects will be the key vehicle for generating these findings and providing relevant support. We intend to evolve our academic programs to provide more direct linkages with centers of excellence in federally funded research and development centers, university affiliated research centers, and government or military organizations currently supporting Warfighting commands with rigorous basic and applied research and analysis. This evolution will strengthen our already strong support to closing gaps in Warfighter capability development and technology needs. Our Academic Programs will provide innovative ways for Winners to Associate with Winners from different disciplines and sectors to come together to generate solutions for urgent national security and Warfighting needs.