University of Oklahoma Launches New Strategic National Security Initiative

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NORMAN, Okla. – Led by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, the University of Oklahoma has restructured its national security and defense research strategy in support of the Lead On strategic plan, and has named Kevin Stamey as Director of National Security Strategy and Integration, effective August 31.

The initiative organizes OU's work around six mission areas: radar and electromagnetic dominance; autonomous and counter-autonomous systems; sustainment and modernization; resilient systems and mission assurance; security policy, risk and mission integration; and advanced workforce training. The aim is to align the university's strengths in these areas with the most pressing needs of federal and industry partners and deliver solutions that benefit Oklahoma and the nation.

Stamey joins OU after nearly four decades in Air Force acquisition, engineering and sustainment leadership, most recently as Program Executive Officer and Director of Mobility Aircraft, where he led more than 2,100 personnel and was accountable for the service's roughly $39 billion airlift, tanker and training aircraft portfolio. He previously served as Director of Information Dominance in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, overseeing modernization across command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs, and chairing the NATO Air Force Armaments Group.

Much of his career was built in Oklahoma. As Executive Director of the Air Force Sustainment Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Stamey was the senior civilian leader for 40,000 personnel across 26 locations and directed the $17.6 billion Air Force supply chain and depot maintenance enterprise. Earlier, as the center's Director of Engineering and Technical Management, he was responsible for 4,500 scientists and engineers at Tinker, Robins and Hill Air Force Bases, and he created Innovation Centers at all three, built expressly on partnerships with universities, industry and local government. He also led the 76th Software Maintenance Group, the largest software organization in the state, and began his career at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center working on E-3, B-2, B-52 and cruise missile programs.

Two threads of that record connect directly to OU's strengths. Stamey led the Air Force's adoption of additive manufacturing, and his portfolio became the first in the service to fly 3D-printed critical safety items, now in use on the C-5, C-130, KC-135 and T-38. He also launched the Air Force initiative to address cyber resiliency in weapon systems, work that became the Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems.

The university extends its gratitude to Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Donald Wetekam, who has led OU's national security and defense effort over the past year and helped shape the coordinated, university-wide approach Stamey will now lead. OU is in a considerably stronger position because of his leadership. Wetekam will continue with the university as a Senior Faculty Fellow in OVPRP, supporting Stamey's onboarding and OU's relationships at Tinker, across the Oklahoma City defense community and at the national level.

Cornerstones of this work are the Advanced Radar Research Center, one of the nation's leading radar and sensing research programs; the Sooner Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory, focused on materials and manufacturing; the Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, which leads security policy and risk research; the Data Institute for Societal Challenges; and the Gallogly College of Engineering.