NDIA, Purdue to host inaugural hypersonics capabilities conference

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The inaugural NDIA Hypersonics Capabilities Conference, co-hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and Purdue University, is bringing a consortium of military, government, congressional, industry and policy leaders to further advance U.S. hypersonic systems.

The conference will be begin Tuesday (July 30) at Purdue University in West Lafayette. Media are invited to attend the public sessions on the first day, which will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Purdue Memorial Union Ballroom. Opening remarks and sessions are in this order:

• 8:30 a.m. Opening remarks: Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, USAF (Ret.), president and CEO of the NDIA.
• 8:40 a.m. Purdue and hypersonics research: Mung Chiang, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the Purdue College of Engineering.
• 8:50 a.m. Indiana and defense: Gov. Eric Holcomb.
• 9 a.m. Morning Keynote: Mark Lewis, director of the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute.
• 10:30 a.m. Panel: University Hypersonic Research Partnerships.
• 1:15 p.m. Chris Michienzi, director of assessment, policy and industry outreach for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, Acquisition and Sustainment.
• 1:45 p.m. Panel: Industry perspective on the “New Industrial Base.”
• 3:30 p.m. Sustaining hypersonic capabilities: Alan Shaffer, deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment.

Space permitting, the public may attend the Tuesday sessions as well.

Hypersonics systems can travel at speeds of Mach 5 or faster and are highly maneuverable, making them a potent strike platform and major challenge for defense. The military services are ramping up spending on hypersonics weapons and defense capabilities, from rocket-based glide systems to air-breathing weapons to low-altitude cruise missiles and more.

Contact Tim Doty, doty2@purdue.edu, (765) 494-2080, for media interview availability times.