Photo By Sara Thompson | Members of the Research, Development, Test & Engineering panel speak at the 2018...... read more read more
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Dec. 4, 2018) – Progress and innovation were at the forefront of discussion at the annual Redstone Update, hosted by the Huntsville and Madison County Chamber of Commerce, where key leadership from across Redstone Arsenal and local communities gathered at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala., Nov. 29.
The overall focus was to provide a comprehensive look, based on capability, of the Arsenal’s assets and benefits to the community, according to Lt. Gen. Edward Daly, U.S. Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and keynote speaker.
“The relationship with the local community doesn’t get any better than this,” Daly said. “You are the foundation of our success. We wouldn't be successful without you”, he added.
The format for this year’s update differed from years past. There were four panels, each featuring a different competency: logistics services; space operations and missile defense; research, development, testing and engineering; and intelligence and homeland defense. Panelists representing the organizations within the competencies focused on providing data and information on potential opportunities for local businesses. The representatives spoke to the combined efforts being made to ensure more thorough communication and limit duplicated efforts of production and processes integration across the arsenal and throughout the U.S. Army.
“(We are) very proud to have been a part of the Huntsville Team Redstone community for the last seven decades,” said Barry Pike, Weapons Development and Integration Directorate director, U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Aviation & Missile, known locally as AMRDEC. Pike described that the Aviation & Missile Center’s role as the Army’s science and technology, research and engineering enterprise for aviation and missile systems has an annual budget of about $300 million.
Panel discussions also focused on the ongoing working relationships with industry partners across the Tennessee Valley. Industry contracts are essential for Team Redstone to continue to accomplish its’ mission.
Along those lines, Pike explained that 85 percent of the Aviation & Missile Center’s budget comes from customer-reimbursable support.
“When I addressed this prestigious group over a year ago, I spoke about the tremendous growth taking place,” Daly said. “Today I want to continue to talk about Redstone Arsenal and, more importantly, I want to talk about the progress we've made over the past few years.”
Over the last several years, approximately $18 billion of federal funds has been infused into the local economy. For the Tennessee Valley, this equates to 69 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) and 9.8 percent of Alabama’s GDP, a roughly $25 billion economic impact to the local area.
The event closed with a luncheon, where Daly touted modernization efforts planned to go past 2025 and expressed his gratitude for partnership and support from all the members of Team Redstone.
“Your efforts have unequivocally improved the quality of life for our Soldiers, our families and our employees and created opportunities for all.”
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The Aviation & Missile Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to provide innovative research, development and engineering to produce capabilities that provide decisive overmatch to the Army against the complexities of the current and future operating environments in support of the joint Warfighter and the nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2018 15:05 |
| Story ID: | 302625 |
| Location: | HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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