The Shirley Lab connects the Department of Defense, Oklahoma's research universities, leading defense primes, and Ukraine's combat-tested UAV sector into a single institutional partnership. Each partner brings something no other partner has.
Government / DoD
Academia
Defense Industry
International
Government — DoD & State
Department of Defense
Primary FFRDC sponsor. Mission authority and long-term contract vehicle. Sets research priorities.
Primary Sponsor
DARPA
Advanced research contracts for breakthrough UAS technologies beyond current program-of-record systems.
Research Funder
Air Force Research Lab
USAF primary research arm. Autonomous flight, human-machine teaming, and contested-environment operations.
Research Funder
Tinker Air Force Base
Adjacent OKC facility. Testing, integration, and operational support for lab programs. Classified program capacity.
Test Support
OK Dept. of Aerospace
State coordination, FAA licensing oversight, Burns Flat spaceport management, and state economic development support.
State Partner
Academia — University Consortium
University of Oklahoma
Co-managing university. Aerospace and mechanical engineering departments. Norman campus, 30,000 students. Research I Carnegie classification.
Co-Manager
Oklahoma State University
Co-managing university. Home of USRI (UAS Research Institute). Stillwater campus. Established UAS research infrastructure and FAA COA experience.
Co-Manager
Industry — Defense Primes & Emerging
Kratos Defense
Firejet and Valkyrie unmanned combat aerial vehicles. Oklahoma City facility. Cooperative research agreements for attritable UAS development.
Collaborative Research
General Atomics
MQ-9 Reaper manufacturer. MALE UAS and autonomous systems. Joint programs for next-generation persistent ISR and strike-capable platforms.
Collaborative Research
Boeing
MQ-25 Stingray, Loyal Wingman program. Defense prime with major Oklahoma workforce. Technology transition and advanced systems research.
Defense Prime
Northrop Grumman
RQ-4 Global Hawk, X-47B UCAS. Advanced autonomous systems, sensing, and electronic warfare. Joint research programs.
Defense Prime
International — Ukraine UAV Sector & Allied Nations
Ukrainian Drone Manufacturers
Aerorozvidka and associated producers. 3M+ FPV combat drones planned for 2026. Battle-proven designs and manufacturing velocity the U.S. lacks.
Strategic Partner
Ukraine Defense Ministry
Formal partnership under U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation MOU. Government-to-government framework for technology exchange and joint development.
Government MOU
NATO Allied Partners
NATO-aligned nations with UAS development programs. Information sharing and joint research within alliance frameworks and ITAR boundaries.