UAH event features discussion on impact of trilateral security partnership in N. Alabama

HUNTSVILLE – At a first-of-its-kind event, U.S. administration officials, lawmakers and local industry representatives discussed how AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, will impact the defense industrial base in Alabama.

The 2024 AUKUS Industry Forum was hosted this week at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

“North Alabama takes tremendous pride in safeguarding our nation, and the AUKUS forum provided a great opportunity to showcase our contributions to keeping our country and its allies secure,” said U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia). “Partnering with Australia and the United Kingdom for our shared defense benefits our region as those jobs, and the expertise to develop these assets, are located here.”

Attendees engaged with panelists from across the Department of Defense and Department of State.

“The AUKUS Industry Forum connected industry partners with Congress and administration officials who are focused on confronting the threats of the 21st century,” said U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Hanceville).

A key subject of discussion was how current U.S. export control laws, namely the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, can be reformed to support closer collaboration with Australia and the UK.

“These changes we’re making to the ITAR fundamentally enhance the way industry across our three countries can engage in defense trade and, thereby, promote our underlying AUKUS strategy,” said Damon Smith, Foreign Affairs Officer, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, Office of Defense Trade Controls Policy.

“My hope is that AUKUS will be a new way of doing business, freeing our defense production industry from the constraints of bureaucracy, and allowing them to take bold, decisive steps to ensure our national security in this new age,” said Aderholt.

These changes in export laws could have a big impact in Huntsville, one of the fastest growing tech cities in the United States and a hub for aerospace and defense development.

“The growth of technology companies in Huntsville has outpaced much of the rest of the country,” said Dr. Robert Lindquist, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at UAH, noting that Huntsville is among four major hubs for research development in the country, joining Silicon Valley, Boston, and the Research Triangle in North Carolina.

Brian Burton, Senior Advisor, International & Industry Engagement, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, moderated a panel including:

• Abigail Desjardins, Deputy Chief, Global Partnerships, DIU
• Peter Highnam, Ph.D., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, OUSD Research & Engineering, DOD
• Philip Kao, Ph.D., Foreign Affairs Officer, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Regional Security and Arms Transfers Office, DOS

These changes in export laws could have a big impact in Huntsville, one of the fastest growing tech cities in the United States and a hub for aerospace and defense development.

“The growth of technology companies in Huntsville has outpaced much of the rest of the country,” said Dr. Robert Lindquist, vice president for Research and Economic Development at UAH, noting that Huntsville is among four major hubs for research development in the country, joining Silicon Valley, Boston, and the Research Triangle in North Carolina.

As an anchor tenant of Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the country and the fourth largest in the world, UAH is uniquely situated tocollaborate on research with the more than 300 high-technology companies serving the aerospace and defense sectors, as well with leading experts across numerous government agencies. UAH has been granted ‘R1 – Very high research activity’ status among doctoral-granting universities in the Carnegie rankings, placing it among the top public universities in America.

“We are proud of the role UAH researchers have played in fostering the development of advanced capabilities across numerous sectors, and we are committed to furthering this innovation,” said Lindquist. “It is an honor to host a forum enabling our industry partners in Huntsville and North Alabama to engage with government officials on such an important initiative as AUKUS.”