Maj. Gen. William Cooley, Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory and Dr. Todd Stewart, Chancellor, Air Force Institute of Technology, sign a Memorandum of Understanding that renews their organization’s strategic partnership through 2027.

The Air Force Institute of Technology renewed their Memorandum of Understanding with the Air Force Research Laboratory at the annual AFRL – AFIT Strategic Partnership Summit held on 8 November 2017.  The purpose of this MOU is to formalize and continue a strategic partnership between AFRL and AFIT to stimulate mutual supportive activities motivated by a common interest to maintain and advance the technological superiority of the Air Force.  The new MOU is effective through 2026.

“This MOU renews our mutual commitment to supporting our two organizations, as, working together, we leverage our respective capabilities and talents to better enable the Air Force to achieve its goals and priorities,” said Dr. Todd Stewart, AFIT Director and Chancellor.

AFIT and AFRL entered their first strategic partnership agreement in 2005.  Since that time, AFRL personnel have held adjunct faculty appointments and served as advisors on a wide range of academic and research issues to AFIT.  AFIT faculty members have developed research and educational programs to support the AFRL community, AFIT student research has supported lab research programs, and nearly a quarter of AFIT graduates receive follow-on assignments to AFRL.  The organizations also maintain a joint research library and share research facilities to improve both effectiveness and reduce Air Force cost.

AFRL and AFIT hold an annual Strategic Partnership Summit to review the activities accomplished under the MOU umbrella.  During the meeting, processes are defined for supporting major collaborative research programs and shared facilities as well as identifying opportunities for multi-partner teaming with other organizations to accomplish research objectives.  The 2017 summit focused on areas of collaboration such as Simulation, Integration & Modeling, Hypersonics, Military Workforce Development, and the Sabbatical Exchange Program.