Tag: public policy

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

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.

Washington 101 for the Next Generation of Aerospace Innovators

FROM THE INSTITUTE
As commercial spaceflight expands and small satellites reshape the space economy, one reality remains unchanged: policy discussed in Washington, DC, matters. This was AIAA’s Director of Public Policy & Government Relations Ryan Cooperman’s core message at the SmallSat Education Conference at NASA Kennedy Space Center, where he joined over 700 students and educators passionate about space. He offered a crash course on the U.S. legislative process in which he discussed how policy is made, who shapes it, and why it matters to the future of aerospace.
Full Story (Aerospace America)

AIAA Calls Upon U.S. Policymakers to Protect Mission-Critical Aerospace and Defense Workforce and Supply Chain

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: MICHELE MCDONALD
703.264.7542
[email protected]

20 March 2020 – Reston, Va. – The coronavirus pandemic is stalling the global economy, impairing businesses, and changing how we go about our daily lives. Its impact is multiplying, and the effects reach far beyond this year’s balance sheets.

Here in the United States, the aerospace and defense industry supports more than 2.5 million jobs and 17,000 suppliers from large manufacturers to small businesses that form the backbone of the supply chain. It represents more than $928 billion in economic output for the United States and more than $237 billion in wages. The industry has improved our quality of life by transforming transportation, medicine, defense, and security, among other things.

In times such as these, the aerospace and defense sector is essential to protect our national security and provide much needed logistics capability to bring critical supplies to areas of need. Its highly skilled workforce has made significant advances in areas such as autonomy, cybersecurity, air mobility, and space exploration. The aerospace and defense workforce is an essential driver of innovation for the U.S. economy, our national security, and expanding the utilization of space for future generations. We need the industry to survive the crisis and build our future.

The aerospace and defense industry is vital to the prominent position of the United States in global competitiveness, innovation, and technical leadership. The coronavirus pandemic presents a new challenge and our global leadership in this sector will falter if the industry is not protected during this time of crisis. The aerospace and defense contribution to the economy on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis will be crucial for restarting and building the economic engine to its pre-crisis momentum.

The industry is experiencing an economic downturn that’s worse than 9/11. Airlines are laying off thousands of workers and cutting flights. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul workers are also feeling the impacts. We’re in the initial stages of the COVID-19 crisis and can expect to see more jobs affected as the world responds to the pandemic.

We call on federal government officials and lawmakers to be mindful of and support the aerospace and defense industry during this challenging time.

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 85 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.