The Shirley Lab is structured as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center — the same legal and institutional model that produced the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. Managed by universities. Funded by government. Focused on a single mission.
An FFRDC exists to fill a critical gap in U.S. national security research: the need for long-term, deep technical expertise that cannot be achieved through short-term contracts or commercial R&D cycles. FFRDCs are unique entities — they operate at the intersection of government mission and academic rigor, with the stability to pursue multi-year programs and the agility to respond to operational needs.
The Shirley Lab follows the JPL model: a single sponsoring agency (DoD) provides the primary mission and funding vehicle, while co-managing universities (OU and OSU) supply the research talent, graduate pipelines, and institutional infrastructure. Industry partners integrate through cooperative research agreements, not ownership stakes — preserving the lab's independence and government-oriented mission.
The model is proven. JPL has operated under this structure since 1958. MIT Lincoln Lab since 1951. The institutions that built the technologies that won the Cold War were all structured this way. The Shirley Lab applies that blueprint to the unmanned aerospace domain.
Formal letters of intent signed between OU, OSU, and DoD. Establish the university consortium agreement that designates both institutions as co-managing entities. Begin FFRDC designation application process with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)).
Receive official FFRDC designation and registration in the Federal Procurement Data System. Execute initial DoD contracts (DARPA, AFRL, or Army Futures Command) establishing foundational research programs. Recruit inaugural scientific staff from OU, OSU, and industry. Activate Burns Flat as the primary test range.
Formalize the Ukraine UAV sector partnership under the existing U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation memorandum. Execute cooperative research agreements with Kratos, General Atomics, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman. Launch first joint development programs. Activate Green Valley Farms field testing facility.
Full scientific staff in place. Multiple concurrent DoD-funded research programs active. Graduate student pipeline producing PhDs trained in unmanned systems defense applications. The Shirley Lab becomes the recognized national center for UAS defense research — the institution America builds unmanned aerospace superiority around.
Chaired jointly by OU and OSU presidents. DoD representatives hold co-chair positions. Sets strategic direction, approves annual research plans, and maintains FFRDC charter compliance. Meets quarterly. Appointment and removal authority over the Lab Director.
Embedded government representatives from the primary sponsoring agency. Translates operational requirements into research priorities. Approves classified program elements. Acts as the bridge between warfighter needs and the lab's technical programs.
Faculty from OU and OSU aerospace, electrical engineering, and computer science departments. Sets research quality standards. Oversees graduate student placement. Reviews all publications and IP disclosures. Reports to the Board of Governors.
Representatives from Kratos, General Atomics, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman, plus emerging defense firms. Non-voting advisory role — preserving the lab's independence. Identifies technology transition opportunities and co-development programs.
Ukraine UAV sector representatives and NATO-aligned partners. Governs information-sharing protocols, joint research programs, and technology transfer agreements within ITAR constraints. Ensures combat-proven operational requirements inform lab priorities.
Appointed by the Board of Governors. Full operational authority over the lab's programs, staff, and facilities. Reports upward to the Board. Must be a U.S. citizen with appropriate security clearance. Serves 5-year renewable terms.