NC State Research, Collaboration Bolster Nation’s Defense
For Immediate Release
North Carolina State University anchors the state’s role in national defense research through partnership and projects with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
NC State recently received a Missile Defense Agency Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a ceiling of $151 billion. This contract encompasses a broad range of work areas that allows for the rapid delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter with increased speed and agility.
Meanwhile, in the coming year, research and academic leaders from across NC State will work through the University of North Carolina System to obtain formal recognition of a defense and security institute as part of the systemwide framework of centers and institutes.
The initial stage, establishing the “Institute in Planning,” was approved by Chancellor Kevin Howell in December 2025.
“I’m excited to accelerate the important defense and security work that our faculty, students and staff are already doing,” Howell said. “Our university excels at collaboration and career training in this space, and we are eager to leverage our expertise.”
NC State leads the UNC System in defense research, with projects funded by DoD totaling $49 million in annual expenditures, according to the most recent National Science Foundation Higher Education and Research Development Survey (2024). That represents a 45% increase since 2019.
Collaborative efforts have resulted in several dedicated university initiatives, including the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS), an on-campus partnership with the National Security Agency that focuses on improving data analysis for defense, and the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wideband Semiconductors (CLAWS), a DoD-funded regional hub for innovation in microelectronics.
“NC State already has the expertise and capabilities to deliver strong results in the defense and security space, and these new developments will help us to amplify the focus and connect our expertise to government and industry partners and ensure our efforts are coordinated and strategic,” said Krista Walton, NC State’s vice chancellor for research and innovation.
North Carolina has one of the largest military footprints in the nation, with major installations across the state, including Marine Corps Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Fort Bragg – the largest U.S. Army base by population and home to the XVIII Airborne Corps, U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the Joint Special Operations Command. Nearly 620,000 veterans live in North Carolina, representing roughly 8% of the state’s population.
A designated military-friendly institution, NC State has a long history of educating veterans, collaborating with the military, and supporting U.S. defense and national security. As the only university in the state with a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 certificate, NC State has the robust technical infrastructure required to conduct DoD-supported defense and security research. Additionally, NC State’s proven track record of business-friendly research and technology licensing agreements will allow private industry partners to quickly pursue pathways to commercial solutions to military demands – and the evolving needs of modern warfighters.
“NC State is not simply participating in DoD research; it is anchoring North Carolina’s role in the national defense research enterprise,” Walton said. “The university’s scale, growth rate and execution credibility strengthen federal competitiveness for large-scale defense awards; workforce development aligned with national-security priorities; and statewide economic development tied to advanced manufacturing and defense industries.”
“For the UNC System, continued support for NC State’s defense research capacity represents a high-return investment that enhances the system’s national profile and deepens its strategic relevance to the DoD,” Howell added.
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This post was originally published in NC State News.
