While Congress plays a crucial role in shaping the country’s air defense policies and spending, there are additional players advocating for the issues on and off Capitol Hill. 

With billions of dollars at stake and pricey technological, logistical and research needs, the sector requires several forces to work together. 

The leading contractors like Lockheed Martin Corp., RTX Corporation, General Dynamics Corp., The Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp., continue to play a big role in supplying the Pentagon’s air defense needs. There is also a rise in smaller startups gaining more government business. 

That’s a welcome addition, said Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chair of the House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. 

“We want to make sure we have these startup companies that are very innovative and creative,” Wittman said, adding that they’re faster and more agile because of their sizes.

In this segment, we will highlight some of the key defense aviation players within the Congress, the federal government and the non-profit worlds. 

CONGRESS

The country’s national defense is overall a bipartisan priority with lawmakers from both parties overwhelmingly voting to pass the National Defense Authorization Act and the Pentagon funding bill each year.

Lawmakers in both the House and the Senate want to see the U.S. continue to innovate and utilize the most advanced technology to remain a global defense aviation power.

Several members across different congressional panels play a crucial role in shaping defense aviation policy and funding.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) — Senate Appropriations Committee vice chair

Through her influential role on the appropriations panel, Collins has advocated for increased funding for the F-35 program.

In August, Collins touted her success in pushing for key provisions that would impact Maine in the fiscal year 2025 defense appropriations bill. That includes support for Pratt & Whitney’s Maine operations, such as $47.5 million “to procure two additional spares and power modules for the F-135 engine.”

Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) — Senate Armed Services Committee leaders

Reed and Wicker have been influential as the Senate drafts an NDAA compromise. The pair recently wrote a joint op-ed raising the alarm on vulnerabilities drones pose to U.S. service members.

They wrote that the U.S. “lacks adequate drone detection capability” and still relies on Cold War-era warning radars that today are “unable to detect, identify and track small aircraft at both high and low altitudes.” 

Separately, Wicker is pushing for significant boosts in defense spending that he contends would “rebuild the U.S. military and defense industrial base for a generation.”

Reps. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Don Norcross (D-N.J.)

Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, joined forces with Norcross, the ranking member for the House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, earlier this year to try and temporarily cut funding for the F-35 program until its “failures were addressed.”

There’s significant policy disagreement over how many F-35s the U.S. should purchase. The Senate Armed Services Committee NDAA provides for 68 F-35s, the same as President Joe Biden’s budget. But the House-passed NDAA cuts the number to 58.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) — House Appropriations Committee ranking member

DeLauro represents an area of Connecticut that’s home to several major defense aviation contractors. They include Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky Aircraft.

DeLauro has expressed frustration with Congress’ repeated use of continuing resolutions to fund the government, arguing it makes it challenging for the defense industry to plan and operate effectively. 

“If we can’t tell them what we’re doing, where we’re going, what the money involved is…you can’t plan,” DeLauro said at a Punchbowl News event earlier this year. 

GOVERNMENT

The Defense Innovation Unit

The DIU is the Defense Department’s initiative to ensure the military makes the best use of burgeoning technology. Started in 2015, the program offers contracts to companies that can help improve national security through cutting-edge applications.

In particular, the DIU’s Replicator program plays a role in the nation’s air defenses by investing in autonomous or unmanned aircraft.

“The key measure is going to be: can they execute them at the speed of relevance?” Wittman said.

Joint Program Office

The JPO is a critical government initiative that oversees the F-35 program. The office is responsible for delivering “a capable, available, and affordable air system to the warfighter” to outpace the United States’ competition and adversaries.

Air Force Materiel Command

Comprising six individual centers, the Air Force Materiel Command is the central logistics coordinator for the Air Force. As part of the AFMC, the Air Force Research Lab develops new warfighting technologies. Another unit of the AFMC, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is focused on the entire life span of defense aviation equipment.

TRADE GROUPS AND THINK TANKS

The defense aviation industry relies on its trade associations to help advocate for favorable policies and funding. Trade groups are the industry’s voice and ears on Capitol Hill and across key government agencies.

On the other hand, several public policy groups provide critical research and thought leadership on issues of interest to the industry and policymakers.

The Aerospace Industries Association 

The leading trade group for the aerospace sector has advocated for its members for more than a century on a range of issues, including aviation safety, supply chain matters, workforce development and national security. 

AIA recently wrote to congressional leaders highlighting the industry’s priorities for this year, including passing the NDAA and full-year appropriations for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Department. 

The Air and Space Forces Association

This advocacy group represents Air Force and Space Force veterans. The group runs The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, a prominent voice pushing for increased investment in defense aviation. It also publishes the Air and Space Forces Magazine.

The Center for New American Security

CNAS focuses on national security and defense policy and is notably also exploring drone proliferation. The group recently published a data set of global transfers of drones in recent decades, an especially relevant study given the looming specter of a conflict in Taiwan. 

The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

This group focuses on researching defense policy and budgeting and planning for future threats. Earlier this year, the organization released a study of what a future U.S. conflict in the Indo-Pacific arena would look like. The report highlighted the way the U.S. could struggle to defend against unmanned aircraft.

– Max Cohen

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.