HUNTSVILLE — Huntsville’s role in the nation’s defense was on full display this week when congressional and industrial leaders convened for a discussion on the vulnerability of the U.S. defense industrial base in relation to challenges posed by China.
The roundtable discussion, hosted by the Auburn University Applied Research Institute in Cummings Research Park, brought together members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party – including Chairman John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and U.S. Reps. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia), Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) and Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) – and representatives from Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grummon, General Dynamics, RTX, BAE Systems, and the Aerospace Industries Associaton.
“It was a privilege to visit Huntsville and engage with local leaders and industry experts on the pressing challenges facing our nation’s defense capabilities,” Moolenaar said. “Huntsville’s growing role in missile defense and hypersonic technologies is crucial to securing America’s future. The conversations we had about expanding production capacity, accelerating innovation, and strengthening supply chains are essential in countering the threats posed by China’s military ambitions.
“I look forward to continuing to work with these dedicated professionals to ensure that our national security remains strong, resilient, and ready to meet any challenge.”
Established in 2023, the House Select Committee on the CCP aims to build consensus on developing strategies to safeguard American interests against Chinese threats.
“We were excited to be able to host this important discussion regarding the defense industrial base with the chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, along with key members of the committee and Alabama delegation members,” said AUARI executive director Jonathan Pettus. “It’s another example of Auburn facilitating and participating in collaborations between government and industry on issues of national importance.”
The defense industry executives shared insights on the challenges they face in ramping up production, integrating emerging technologies, and mitigating foreign dependencies —particularly on China — for critical materials.
Industry participants included:
- Auburn University: Jonathan Pettus, executive director of Auburn Applied Research Center
- Aerospace Industries Association: Parker Chapman, senior director, Legislative Affairs
- BAE Systems: Alan Zimmerer, senior director of Precision Strike & Sensors (Huntsville)
- Boeing: Pierce Lehr, vice president of Supply Chain for Space, Intelligence & Weapon Systems
- General Dynamics: Kevin Wilson, senior program manager (Huntsville)
- Lockheed Martin: Brian O’Connor, vice president of Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) Supply Chains Operations
- Northrop Grumman: Raymond Sharp, vice president of Missile Defense Solutions
- RTX: Kurt Wuest, executive director for Naval Shipboard Missiles
Key themes of the roundtable included:
- Bolstering Production Capacity: Industry leaders discussed the risks of relying on ‘just-in-time’ production models and emphasized the need for incentives to support stockpiling critical components, maintaining surge capacity, and investing in workforce development.
- Scaling Innovation: Participants highlighted regulatory burdens and contracting challenges that hinder the rapid adoption of cutting-edge technologies, particularly from non-traditional defense entrants.
- Securing Supply Chains: The conversation focused on reducing reliance on Chinese sources for rare-earth elements and other critical inputs, with a call for greater visibility into sub tier suppliers and stronger domestic alternatives.
Moolenaar said the committee will continue to engage with defense industry stakeholders to identify and remove barriers to innovation, increase resilience in supply chains, working to ensure that America’s military is fully equipped to deter and, if necessary, win a conflict with the People’s Republic of China.
“A big part of what we’re focusing on is how (the defense industrial base) is growing in innovation, scale and capacity,” Moolenaar said. “We’re also looking at supply chain issues, and on having a strategy to anticipate the challenges of the future.”
Pettus said the AUARI has Auburn perfectly positioned to help meet those challenges.
“A major focus of our Applied Research Institute is ensuring that we are leveraging Auburn research to enable the advancement of our national security,” he said. “But Auburn University is also playing a major role in perhaps the most critical element of the long term supply chain by providing a healthy pipeline of engineers and scientists to enable the United States to continue to lead in innovation, product development and advanced manufacturing.”
Strong agreed, praising Auburn University’s contributions to national security initiatives in the Rocket City.
“I want to thank Auburn for making this meeting possible,” Strong said, “and for their continued partnership with our community on the important national security work we do here in Huntsville.”
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