Helping the U.S. Fast-track Hypersonic Conventional Weapons

One Does Not Simply Walk into a National Security Lab
As a research and engineering lab born with the atomic bomb, Sandia prioritizes security. Its researchers work on a wide range of sensitive national security projects, including nuclear weapons modernization, critical infrastructure protection and homeland security. Sandia is primarily located on Kirtland Air Force Base. Information is carefully protected, and access is controlled.

Sandia commonly grants access to subcontractors who pass a vetting process to assist with these projects, but Nance proposed something new. He wanted to bring in dozens of the Army’s contractors, who had no agreement with Sandia, and provide them with access to Sandia equipment and resources so they could build the advanced flight systems side by side with Sandia subject matter experts.

Nance said he is unaware of any program that has brought in so many uncontracted visitors to work at Sandia. Though the idea surprised many of his colleagues, Nance and his team developed a plan that satisfied management and security specialists at the labs.

Companies and individuals would need to sign safety and security agreements. Guests would complete the same training as regular employees, from counterintelligence awareness to safety and ethics. Department of Defense security clearances would be verified.

Sandia’s Heather Sandoval, an information management professional on Nance’s team who helped hatch the plan, hosted on-site onboarding for classification briefings and facility tours after partners completed online training.

In 2019, the first class of 14 industry partners reported to Sandia for training. Within six months, the total number grew to 138.

“The second wave was more manageable with the new onboarding process, even though the class size increased dramatically,” Sandoval said.

A New Path Forward for Partnering with Industry

At its height, Sandia had trained a total of around 200 partners and was hosting workers from seven companies, including Dynetics, the Army’s lead manufacturing contractor for the common hypersonic glide body. As many as 50 partners were on site at a given time.

Alex Roesler, a Sandia senior manager involved in hypersonic weapon development, said, “Sandia’s facilities team was instrumental in helping us quickly get space configured — lab and office space — to support the work and provide places for these partners to work.”

The payoff was visible as visitors and staff formed a powerful camaraderie.

“What was most memorable to me was seeing all these companies coming together in one space sharing their expertise,” Sandoval said. She was amazed at the mix of managers, technologists, administrators, engineers and others from different companies who filled their daily 8 a.m. team meetings.

“They built Sandia flight hardware side by side with us, learning our culture, learning our language, learning our design and our drawings, and then they were able to take the information back to their companies,” Nance said.

By the end of 2022, Sandia’s industry partners had produced its first flight system. Collaboration at Sandia is ongoing, but components for hypersonic glide bodies are now being produced at facilities around the country.

“We have the knowledge and the expertise. Now it’s our turn to pass the baton to another company for production,” Sandoval said.

The success of the program could change how Sandia approaches technology transfer projects in the future. Sandoval said she has been contacted by other programs that want to learn how her team used industry partners, and Nance said he and his management are evaluating how to adapt the pilot to other programs.

“I absolutely think this is the model for future programs,” Nance said.