WICHITA, Kan. — The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State
University is proud to announce its role as the founding academic partner of the newly
formed Defense Digital Ecosystem Alliance (DDEA), an independent, industry-led alliance.
The DDEA brings together government, industry, and academic partners to advance digital
engineering and accelerate the transition of defense technologies from concept to
capability. As a founding partner, NIAR will contribute its extensive research expertise,
digital engineering leadership, and applied learning capabilities to help shape national
strategies for next-generation defense systems.
"The Defense Digital Ecosystem Alliance was founded with a clear mission to help the U.S. defense community deliver capabilities faster through greater interoperability
across digital systems,” said DEDA Executive Director John Cunningham.“Achieving this requires close collaboration among government, industry, and academia.
We are delighted to welcome NIAR as a founding academic partner. They bring tremendous expertise in digital engineering, and we encourage other academic
institutions to join us in accelerating innovation and strengthening our nation’s
defense capabilities.”
Shawn Ehrstein, NIAR director of CAD/CAM and Emerging Technologies, has been appointed
to the DDEA Executive Board. In this role, Ehrstein will help guide the Alliance’s
strategic priorities and advance mission-driven outcomes across the digital engineering
ecosystem.
“NIAR’s role as the founding academic partner of the Defense Digital Ecosystem Alliance
reflects our commitment to advancing the digital engineering capabilities essential
to our nation’s future,” Ehrstein said. “By bringing together government, industry,
and academia, the DDEA is creating the collaborative framework needed to accelerate
innovation, strengthen interoperability, and deliver mission-ready solutions. We are
proud to support this effort and excited to help shape the digital foundations that
will guide future defense technologies.”
Looking ahead, NIAR and Wichita State University will host the first DDEA Summit in
early 2027, bringing together key leaders and innovators from across the digital engineering
community.
Together with its partners, NIAR is helping build the trusted, data-driven foundations
needed to strengthen mission readiness, enhance interoperability, and advance the
future of defense systems.
About NIAR
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University provides
research, testing, certification and training services support the aviation, defense
and advanced manufacturing industries. NIAR’s mission is to strengthen university
research capabilities; provide applied learning opportunities for students; and support
the aviation and manufacturing industries – while driving innovation and prosperity
for the community, region and state. Established in 1985, NIAR’s yearly R&D expenditures
exceed $400 million,
with more than 2,000 personnel and 2 million square feet of laboratory and office
space in six locations across Wichita, Kan., and one in Huntsville, Ala. National Institute for Aviation Research
