The US Air Force (USAF) has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with government agency National Science Foundation (NSF) to collaborate on scientific and engineering research to help strengthen national security.
The agreement was signed between USAF Secretary Heather Wilson and NSF director France Córdova.
Under the partnership, the parties will carry out research on four areas of common interest, space operations and geosciences, advanced material sciences, information and data sciences, as well as workforce and processes.
Córdova said: “Ensuring national security through innovation in science and engineering was part of the NSF’s founding mission nearly seven decades ago, and it remains one of our highest priorities today.
“We look forward to partnering with the airforce on this collaborative venture and using our combined resources to innovate for the benefit of the nation.”
The collaboration will develop a pathway between the basic research supported by the NSF and the technologies that will help support the country’s airforce in the future.
The LoI states that the USAF will benefit from greater access to the NSF’s basic research programme and community of researchers.
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios said: “This partnership between two of America’s (research and development) powerhouses – the airforce and the NSF – will ensure that taxpayer funding of basic research is made more efficient, accelerates the development of advanced technologies for both civilian and military use, and fosters job creation and economic growth into the future.”
