AIAA Announces 2026 Priority Issues to Advance U.S. Aerospace Leadership Written 9 March 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 9, 2026 – Reston, Va. – AIAA CEO Clay Mowry announced the 2026 Priority Issues confronting the aerospace industry spanning aviation, national security, research and development, and space domains. AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace professional society representing over 33,000 engineers and 100 corporate members. AIAA’s 2026 Priority Issues are designed to inform policymakers and industry leaders on the most pressing issues affecting U.S. aerospace competitiveness, leadership and safety.

“Preserving America’s leadership position in aerospace requires the modernization of our aviation infrastructure, investment in R&D, a resilient industrial base, and clear, responsible policy frameworks that enable innovation while protecting national security,” Mowry said. AIAA’s 2026 Priority Issues reflect those hard realities in an increasingly competitive global aerospace marketplace.”

2026 Priority Issues

Aviation

• Air traffic control and infrastructure modernization through sustained FAA Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) investment
• Advanced air mobility and autonomous flight integration
• Advanced materials and manufacturing technologies, including qualification, supply-chain, and workforce constraints

National Security

• Golden Dome for America/multi-layered defense readiness, including industrial-base, supply chain, and qualification standards
• Smart sustainment approaches to right-to-repair
• Acquisition reform to deliver capability at the speed of relevance

Research & Development

• R&D leadership and investment in laboratories and test infrastructure
• Internal research and development (IRAD) incentives and tax policy
• Academic ITAR and export-control modernization to protect the STEM pipeline

Space

• NASA budget growth, safety, and preserving science leadership
• The race to the Moon and Mars, including norms of behavior in cislunar space
• Space traffic management and space situational awareness for orbital safety

AIAA will engage with Congress, the administration, state and local officials throughout 2026 to provide technical expertise, standards development, and fora to support these priorities.

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With more than 33,000 individual members from 91 countries, and over 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook.