PR Air Logistics Center sign memorandum

October 7, 2008

A cooperative agreement between the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and OCAST was signed today as part of a concerted effort to support research and development needs at Tinker Air Force Base with Oklahoma-grown research capability.

OCAST, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, is Oklahoma’s technology-based economic development agency.

Current and new aerospace programs will receive support under the memorandum of understanding. A part of the OCAST mission, support for transfer of technology and manufacturing, will be included in the agreement.

“The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center is central to Oklahoma’s economy. The site has long been the largest employer in the state and supports multiple missions that are necessary to our nation’s defense. We are proud to be on the team that helps the Center achieve its overall mission,” said Michael Carolina, OCAST executive director.

“Cooperative research and development agreements such as this are excellent opportunities for government and academia and/or industry to collaborate on technology developments that are of mutual interest,” said John Over OC-ALC executive director. “I commend our engineering directorate for bringing this to fruition.”

Talks that led to the cooperative agreement began more than a year ago. State economic development leaders are hopeful that more Oklahoma companies can become vital vendors to the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.

According to Carolina, OCAST-funded research projects have helped private sector researchers serve specific R&D needs at Tinker since the state agency’s origins in 1987. “This agreement creates the opportunity for more Oklahoma firms to focus their research efforts on needs of the U.S. Air Force through the air logistics center,” said Carolina.