Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance is a United States nonprofit advocacy and public-information organization focused on missile defense. Founded in 2002 by Riki Ellison, the organization promotes the development, deployment, and continued improvement of missile-defense capabilities for the United States and allied countries. Its work is centered on explaining missile threats, defense architectures, sensors, interceptors, testing, military operations, and international cooperation to policymakers, defense professionals, and the wider public. MDAA is based in Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., placing it close to the federal institutions that shape U.S. defense policy. Rather than manufacturing weapons or operating a military force, it functions primarily as an advocacy, research, convening, and education organization. It presents open-source information on missile-defense strategies, technologies, tests, and international programs, and advocates what it considers effective missile-defense policies before members of the United States Government. Its public-facing material covers U.S. homeland missile defense, regional and theater missile-defense systems, ballistic-missile threats, allied capabilities, radars and other sensors, interceptors, and cooperative defense arrangements. The organization also provides information about missile-defense efforts involving U.S. allies and partners, including NATO members, the Republic of Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. Its activities reflect a broad view of missile defense that includes strategic policy, military operations, engineering, acquisition, and international security cooperation. MDAA has developed a program of events and recognition activities intended to connect policymakers, military personnel, technical specialists, and the defense community. Since 2014, it has held recurring roundtable discussions at the U.S. Capitol on subjects such as homeland missile defense, missile-defense radars and sensors, and the operational use of missile-defense systems. These discussions commonly feature recently retired military leaders with relevant expertise. The organization also hosts an annual Missile Defender of the Year ceremony in Alexandria, recognizing missile-defense personnel from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard. Related Defender of the Year events have been held in or associated with the Republic of Korea, NATO, the United Arab Emirates, Alaska, and U.S. Northern Command/North American Aerospace Defense Command. Since 2021, MDAA has operated the SHIELD program at the University of Southern California. The executive program is conducted with USC's Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering. It is designed to expose senior leaders from military, government, and technology communities to the relationship between public policy and engineering in national security. The program uses an eight-month cohort structure, beginning in September and ending in April of the following year. Its subject matter includes leadership, policy, space, technology, and practical national-security applications. MDAA occupies a policy-advocacy position in a field that is closely connected to the U.S. defense establishment and the aerospace and defense industry. Its activities support greater public and policymaker attention to missile defense, while its website and events serve as informational and networking resources. Available reference material does not establish that the organization is publicly listed, owned by a parent corporation, or itself a defense-system manufacturer. Its principal outputs are advocacy, research-oriented public information, educational programming, policy events, and recognition programs rather than commercial products.

The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance was established in 2002 by Riki Ellison as a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting missile-defense capabilities for the United States and its allies. From its base in Alexandria, Virginia, the organization developed a role at the intersection of defense advocacy, public education, and policy communication. Its purpose has been to explain missile-defense requirements and technologies while encouraging government support for strategies intended to protect the United States and partner countries from ballistic-missile and related threats. MDAA's work has primarily consisted of collecting, organizing, and presenting open-source information. Its public material addresses missile-defense strategies, system technologies, test activity, missile threats, radar and sensor networks, interceptors, military operations, and international cooperation. The organization also provides information about U.S. and allied missile-defense systems, allowing policymakers and members of the public to compare national and regional approaches. It does not appear in the available material as a weapons manufacturer or military operator; its contribution is instead advocacy, analysis-oriented communication, convening, and education. Over time, MDAA expanded its activities beyond written information and policy advocacy. Since 2014, it has organized recurring roundtable discussions at the U.S. Capitol. These meetings have examined topics including defense of the U.S. homeland, missile-defense radars and sensors, and the operational perspective of military missile defense. Recently retired military leaders with relevant experience have participated in these discussions, giving the events a practitioner-oriented dimension. The organization also established an annual Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony in Alexandria. The ceremony recognizes missile-defense operators from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard. Comparable Defender of the Year activities have been associated with the Republic of Korea, NATO, the United Arab Emirates, Alaska, and U.S. Northern Command/North American Aerospace Defense Command. These events extend MDAA's role into professional recognition and allied-community engagement. In 2021, MDAA began operating the SHIELD program at the University of Southern California in cooperation with USC's Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering. SHIELD is an executive program for senior leaders from military, government, and innovation-focused technology communities. Its curriculum is intended to connect public-policy concepts with engineering and practical national-security applications. The program follows an eight-month cohort cycle from September through April. A second annual cohort began in September 2022, and later program descriptions emphasized leadership development in policy, space, and technology for national security. MDAA's historical identity is therefore that of a specialized missile-defense advocacy organization rather than a conventional commercial brand. Its institutional activities combine policy persuasion, public information, expert convening, professional recognition, and executive education. The available reference material does not provide a documented corporate parent, public-market listing, financial history, or comprehensive roster of current and former executives.

• 2022

  Second SHIELD cohort

  [1]Missile Defense Advocacy Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The second annual SHIELD cohort commenced in September 2022, continuing the program's executive education focus on policy, space, technology, and national security.

• 2021

  SHIELD program begins at USC

  [1]Missile Defense Advocacy Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  MDAA began operating the SHIELD executive program with USC's Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering.

• 2014

  U.S. Capitol roundtables begin

  [1]Missile Defense Advocacy Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  MDAA began holding recurring roundtable discussions at the U.S. Capitol on missile-defense strategy, homeland defense, radars, sensors, and military operations.

• 2002

  Organization founded

  [1]Missile Defense Advocacy Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Riki Ellison founded the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance to advocate missile-defense development and deployment for the United States and its allies.

A Washington-area nonprofit advocate and information platform supporting missile-defense policy, technology development, military readiness, and cooperation among the United States and its allies.

• Advocacy and policy communication · 2002

  Missile-defense policy advocacy

  MDAA advocates the development and deployment of missile-defense systems and strategies for the United States and its allies. Its policy work is directed toward members of the U.S. Government and the broader defense-policy community rather than toward commercial customers.

• Research and public information

  Open-source missile-defense information

  The organization publishes and maintains public information concerning missile threats, missile-defense systems, technologies, tests, radars, sensors, interceptors, military operations, and international cooperation. The material is intended for policymakers, defense professionals, researchers, and members of the public.

• Executive education · 2021

  SHIELD Executive Program

  SHIELD is an eight-month executive program operated with USC's Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering. It brings together senior participants from military, government, and technology communities to study how policy and engineering interact in national-security work.

• Professional recognition

  Missile Defender of the Year

  MDAA's annual recognition ceremony in Alexandria honors missile-defense operators from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard. Related recognition events have also been conducted in connection with allied and regional defense communities.

• 2021SHIELD Executive Program

  United States · International defense and technology communities

  MDAA launched an executive education initiative with USC to develop leaders able to connect national-security policy, engineering, space, and emerging technology.

  Outcome. The program continued through annual cohorts, including a second cohort beginning in September 2022.

  Source
• 2014U.S. Capitol Missile Defense Roundtables

  United States

  MDAA established recurring Capitol Hill discussions addressing homeland missile defense, radar and sensor capabilities, and missile defense from an operational military perspective.

  Outcome. The roundtables became a continuing forum for policy discussion involving defense specialists and recently retired military leaders.

  Source

• 2021

  Expand into executive education through SHIELDStrategy

  Background

  MDAA sought to connect defense advocacy and public information with structured education for senior leaders working across government, military, engineering, and technology.

  Action taken

  The organization began operating the SHIELD program in partnership with USC's Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering.

  Aftermath

  The program adopted an eight-month cohort format and continued with a second annual cohort in 2022.

  Source

1. 1Missile Defense Advocacy Allianceen.wikipedia.org